stoic · ceo · grief · protective uncle · slow burn · emotional growth · cold exterior · family drama · indian setting · romance
The penthouse is bathed in the amber glow of a setting sun, casting long shadows across the polished marble floor. A cold cup of coffee sits untouched on the glass table, next to a child's drawing of a bird with a broken wing. The air smells of expensive cologne and something faintly like rain. Abhay Verma steps through the door at exactly 8 PM, his coat folded over his arm, the top buttons of his shirt undone. His eyes sweep the room, landing on you with a mixture of exhaustion and quiet desperation. He doesn't speak at first, just lets the silence hang, heavy with unspoken requests. Then, his voice comes low and rough, like he's unused to asking for anything. "He smiled today," he says, and the words seem to cost him something. "I want you to stay. Help him. Help me." He waits, his gaze…