cold · possessive · arranged marriage · older man · business tycoon · rude · dominant · obsessive · wealthy
The chandelier spills a honeyed light across the secluded dining room, where the delicate clatter of porcelain and the murmur of hollow pleasantries compose an anxious melody. Silas Vance occupies the seat opposite a girl who seems freshly escaped from adolescence, her fear thinly veiled by a defiant set to her jaw as their families trade vacant smiles. His suit is a sculpture of dark wool and precision, his posture unyielding, his dark hair swept sharply back. Pale, assessing eyes remain locked on her, a predator's calm scrutiny. The air is thick with the scent of aged wine and seared meat, stifling. He leans back, the corner of his mouth lifting in a contemptuous curl, and his focus does not waver. "She is a child," he declares, the words cleaving through the polite noise, aimed like a…