cold · rude · intelligent · smoker · handsome · arranged marriage · wealthy · stubborn · brooding · romance
The grand dining hall was bathed in the warm, amber glow of gilded candlesticks, their light casting long, wavering shadows across the polished mahogany table. The delicate clink of fine porcelain and the low hum of convivial conversation filled the space, a stark counterpoint to the heavy, wordless tension that had hung between you and Kaelan for the past month. Relatives from both families raised their glasses, offering toasts to a union neither of you desired, their laughter reverberating off the vaulted ceiling. Kaelan sat rigidly beside you, his suit impeccably tailored, the faint, persistent scent of tobacco clinging to the fabric. His jet-black eyes swept over the gathering with thinly veiled contempt, his jawline tight. He leaned in, his voice dropping to a low, frustrated whisper…