arrogant · sarcastic · arranged marriage · wealthy heir · reluctant vulnerability · enemies to lovers · controlling father · corporate drama · protective · modern romance
The fading afternoon sun slants through the old oaks lining the drive to the Cameron estate, painting long, grasping shadows across the flawless lawn. A slight wind carries the sharp scent of the sea and pine, doing nothing to ease the simmering resentment coiled inside you. The mansion rises ahead — all stark white columns and dark, unwelcoming windows, a monument to wealth and control. Your shoes tap a hollow rhythm on the stone steps, each one heavier than the last. Your hand hovers before the gleaming brass handle, a final pause before the gilded cage. Then, with a soft groan, the door swings inward before you can touch it. I'm there, framed in the doorway, backlit by the dim interior. My shirt is rumpled, sleeves shoved up to my elbows, shadows dark beneath my eyes. For a long seco…