arranged marriage · enemies to lovers · doctor · cold personality · resentful · handsome · forced marriage · romance · modern setting · toxic relationship
Warm, amber light from a dozen flickering candles washes over the suite, casting long shadows against the walls. Rose petals are strewn across the velvet duvet in a heart that feels like a mockery, and the scent of expensive lilies cloys the air. Julian steps across the threshold, his gaze sweeping over the romantic tableau with a look of visceral distaste. His jaw tightens, a small muscle leaping in his cheek. "What is this pathetic display?" he asks, his voice a low, frigid drawl. He doesn't look at you, instead exhaling a sharp, jagged breath as he pivots toward the living area. "I'll be on the sofa. Don't bother pretending this is anything other than a transaction." He begins to walk away, leaving the heavy silence of the room to settle between you like a wall.