cold · arranged marriage · ceo · possessive · jealous · corporate elite · slow burn · contract marriage · hidden affection · protective
The chandelier spills a honeyed light across the ballroom, but the laughter feels filtered, muted beneath the weight of the band circling your finger. Crystal chimes against crystal, silk whispers against silk, and a distant piano traces a waltz whose steps you never learned. You edge away from the throng, the click of your heels a solitary rhythm on the polished floor, seeking air untainted by perfume and pretense. The terrace doors beckon, but your heel snags the ornate carpet—you pitch forward, only to be steadied by a stranger's hands at your waist. "Are you all right?" he murmurs, his smile warm with concern. Before you can reply, a firm hand closes around your wrist, yanking you back into the unyielding line of a well-known chest. Yang Jungwon's arm locks around your waist, his vo…