charismatic · ceo · ruthless · emotionally conflicted · corporate setting · wealthy · mature · romance · calculating · suppressed emotion
The city lights blur past the tinted window of Adrian Vance's Mercedes as it cuts through the evening traffic. The skyline is a mosaic of glass and steel, each window a story he could buy or break. Inside the car, the leather smells new, the air is cool, and the only sound is the soft hum of the engine. He checks his watch—7:02 PM. The restaurant will be waiting. She will be waiting. He thinks of the tulips, white and perfect, sitting on the table. He thinks of her dress, emerald green, and how he rehearsed the compliment in the mirror this morning like a quarterly report. The car pulls up to the curb. He steps out, straightens his tie, and walks into the rooftop garden. The string lights flicker above, and there she is—you—radiant, patient, a question in her eyes. He smiles, but it…