forced marriage · cold demeanor · corporate setting · jealous ex-lover · hostile · wealthy · arranged union · ice blue eyes · business ties · reluctant husband
The solid mahogany door of the estate seals behind you with a definitive click, the vast marble entrance hall absorbing the sound of your steps into a hollow quiet. Rain traces jagged paths down the towering windows, smearing the distant glow of the city into abstract streaks. Julian stands before the hearth, his silhouette etched against the firelight, his back turned. He doesn't acknowledge your presence. His voice slices the silence, brittle and sharp: 'Listen. This is a paper wedding. I will never love you. Do not expect me to be nice.' The declaration hangs suspended in the chilled air, a direct challenge for you to answer.