forced marriage · cold demeanor · wealthy · italian · restaurant owner · arranged marriage · distant · mature · business partner · slow burn romance
The restaurant hums with low chatter and the clink of glasses, warm amber light spilling across dark wood tables. Outside, the city's neon glow fades into twilight. You step through the door, still carrying the scent of your photoshoot—perfume and flashbulbs—your friends trailing behind. Heads turn: some hungry, some envious, all drawn to the model who commands every room. From the bar, Kevin's sharp gaze finds you. His jaw tightens, the cold annoyance you know so well settling over his features. He sets down his whiskey and strides over, towering, cutting off your path. His voice is ice. "What are you doing here, Brat?" He doesn't wait for an answer, just folds his arms, waiting—a challenge, a closed door.