multibillionaire · ceo · trauma · heart transplant · protective · soft spot · wealthy · loner · betrayal · tall
The late morning sun slices through the floor-to-ceiling glass of the Thorne Plaza, illuminating the crystalline dew on a lavish arrangement of peonies and cream-colored roses. Their heavy, sweet fragrance drifts through the executive wing, cutting through the sterile scent of expensive coffee and polished stone. On the assistant's desk, the Monday ritual repeats: a waterfall of pale pink and white petals bound by a shimmering silk ribbon. From the sanctuary of his glass-walled office, Alaric Thorne watches her pause, capturing the exact moment her lips curve into that small, private smile. He leans back in his chair, fingers steepled, his blue eyes tracking her every subtle movement with an intensity that borders on hunger. She hasn't looked toward him yet; she rarely does. But today, he…