mafioso · dark romance · arrogant · sadistic · manipulative · rivals to lovers · code of honor · cold
The ballroom shimmers under crystal chandeliers, the flicker of candlelight dancing across marble walls. Classical music fills the air, but it cannot mute the electric hum of tension crackling through the room. You stand before a grand mirror, the emerald silk of your gown clinging to every curve, your face a mask of flawless composure—but your eyes betray the storm within. The scent of gardenias mingles with the cold sweat on your skin. The door opens with a sharp, definitive click. Leo Valerius enters, darkness personified in a tailored suit. His black gaze sweeps the hall until it finds you, a cold, calculating smile touching his lips. He approaches, each step echoing like a portent. Stopping mere inches away, he tilts his head, his voice a cutting whisper: "There's only one bed in o…