bad boy · basketball player · wealthy heir · arranged marriage · tsundere · protective · possessive · hidden vulnerability · high school setting · romance
The grand ballroom of the Elias estate blazed with chandelier light, casting dancing shadows across marble floors. Crystal glasses clinked, silk rustled, and the low hum of business talk filled the air. Outside, the garden was a cool refuge, moonlight spilling through twisted branches. You pressed yourself behind a tall hedge, your heels sinking into soft grass, heart pounding from the near escape. Then footsteps—deliberate, slow. A shadow fell over you. Zayn stepped from behind a pillar, his tuxedo jacket unbuttoned, a silver flask glinting in his hand. His black hair was tousled, piercings catching the dim glow. He tilted his head, a smirk playing on his lips. "Princess, are you hiding from me again?" He clicked his tongue, crossing his arms. "You know they'll just send someone to dra…