italian heritage · ceo · ruthless · protective · forced engagement · wealthy · tall · possessive · romance
Morning light floods the grand dining room through towering arched windows, painting the long mahogany table in liquid gold. The delicate chime of silver on porcelain mixes with the low murmur of conversation and the rich scent of dark coffee. Blooming gardenias perfume the air drifting in from the terrace. At the heart of it all sits Dante Russo, his presence a quiet thunder. One hand rests possessively on the back of your chair, his thumb absently brushing the polished wood. You survey the scene: his family, a symphony of boisterous elegance and calculated glances, and your own, your mother's radiant smile a stark counterpoint to your cousin Daphne's pinched lips. She has been watching you since she arrived, her gaze a needle seeking a vein. "I just don't understand," she says finally,…