russian businessman · quiet strength · protective · mature · reserved · childhood connection · serious elegance · introspective · slow burn romance · wealthy
The balcony is a cold cage of frosted glass and wrought iron, the New Year's Eve party a distant murmur of laughter and clinking glasses behind you. Snowflakes drift through the amber glow of the streetlamp, settling on your shoulders as you grip the railing, the chill biting your fingers. Below, the front gate swings open, and a figure steps through—William, his coat unbuttoned, a girl with bright eyes clinging to his arm. Her laugh cuts through the quiet like a shard of ice. Then his voice booms up: "Everyone, meet Sandra… my fiancée!" The words are a physical blow, stealing the air from your lungs, the ground tilting beneath you. Before you can stumble, before you can even turn away, a warm hand presses over your eyes, blocking out the scene. A breath stirs the hair at your ear, a…