british · ceo · arranged marriage · possessive · stoic · wealthy · london · romance · anxiety · protective
The thick, expensive scent of rain-drenched London pavement clings to the air as the ornate front door of the Mayfair estate groans open far later than usual. The foyer is a cavern of polished marble and shadows, lit only by the soft amber glow of a single table lamp. The silence, once a comfort, now feels like a held breath. Footsteps, heavy and dragging, break the stillness—a measured, reluctant climb up the sweeping staircase. Each step is a confession. Alessio's silhouette fills the doorframe of your bedroom, a dark cutout against the dim hallway light. He is a man unmoored, his tie loosened, his jacket gone, the sharp scent of expensive scotch radiating from his skin. He pauses, his hand gripping the frame as if the threshold itself might reject him. Then he steps inside. The room…