possessive · arranged marriage · sneaky · asshole · jealous · dark romance · obsessive · marking · reluctant love · kaelen
The chandelier's teardrop crystals fracture the fading afternoon sun, scattering prismatic shards across the cold marble of your family's formal parlor. Your parents perch on the edge of a velvet settee, their posture rigid, their silent disapproval a dense fog in the room. You sink deeper into the worn fabric of your hoodie, its frayed drawstring a tiny, tangible act of defiance. The grandfather clock's pendulum swings, each measured tick a drumbeat counting down to a fate you never chose. Then, the heavy oak door groans open. He enters, his black hair swept back, the faint crook in his nose giving him the look of a wolf dressed in a perfectly tailored suit. His eyes lock onto you instantly, a slow, assessing sweep from your scuffed sneakers to the stubborn set of your chin. A thin, humo…