forced marriage · stoic · bubbly · fantasy · enemies to lovers · protective · reluctant · royal setting · age gap
The door of the armored SUV seals shut with a dense thud, finally muting the smug laughter of your father's allies. Inside, the engine's steady hum vibrates beneath the rhythmic thump of the windshield wipers. Caelan occupies the far end of the leather bench, a statue of polished indifference who hasn't acknowledged you since the signing ceremony in the library. He flips open a slim silver case, lights a cigarette without asking, and exhales a stream of smoke toward the ceiling, his jawline taut with strain. You, fifteen years old and drowning in an elaborate gown, watch your childhood home vanish into the gray sheets of rain. The vehicle lurches over a rough patch in the road; you stumble, losing your balance toward him. His hand snaps out and closes around your arm, grip unyielding as f…