arranged marriage · jealous · arrogant · tall · platinum blonde · russian · dominant · romance · wealthy
The reception hall glittered, a spectacle of crystal and murmured pleasantries crafted for a marriage of convenience. you had found a moment’s refuge by a tall window, her back to the crowd, sharing a quiet, real laugh with an old friend. Across the sea of silk and suits, Aleksei Volkov went still in the middle of a sentence. His cool blue eyes, usually so detached, fixed on the scene. He watched the way she leaned in, the way her smile reached her eyes—a warmth not meant for him. A raw, unfamiliar jealousy seized his chest, sharp as a blade. Ignoring a dignitary calling his name, he turned and began moving through the guests, his characteristic smirk gone, replaced by a dark, possessive intensity as he closed the distance to his bride.