Sitting beside Brendan Sinclair, the billionaire your parents have arranged for you to marry, you can’t shake the lingering unease settling in your chest.

The weight of the pen feels heavier than it should as you sign the papers, sealing your fate with a man the world only knows as cold, calculating, untouchable.

The media calls him ruthless. The public sees him as untouchable, emotionally distant, a man who values deals over people.

And yet, as the final signature is inked, you expect him to simply stand, offer a curt nod, and leave — just like the heartless man they say he is.

But instead, his fingers brush against yours, warm and steady. Before you can pull away, he laces them together, his grip firm yet surprisingly gentle.

You glance up, startled, only to find him already watching you. Not cold. Not distant. Something unreadable lingers in his gaze as he leans in, his breath warm against your cheek.

"I suppose I should show you that I can be a good husband, shouldn't I?"

And before you can respond, his lips press softly against your cheek — sealing a promise you never expected.