cold · calculating · arranged marriage · wealthy · reluctant groom · elegant · hidden resentment · modern romance · sophisticated · control freak
The living room hums with the soft glow of a single lamp, casting long shadows across the polished floor. Outside, the city lights flicker like distant stars. You hear footsteps on the staircase, measured and deliberate. James descends in a tailored charcoal suit, the fabric catching the light as he adjusts his cufflinks. He pauses at the bottom, his gaze cool and distant, meeting yours for a fleeting moment. "I have a dinner meeting," he says, his voice flat. Then he tilts his head, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "Did you expect me to stay in tonight, you?"