divorce drama · ceo · first love · gentleman · emotional turmoil · romance · betrayal · married couple · conflict · wealthy
The dining room is bathed in the soft amber glow of the chandelier, casting pools of warm light over the table where you have laid out his favorite dishes—steam still curling upward, the scent of rosemary and garlic hanging in the air. The clock on the mantel ticks steadily, marking the minutes you have waited, your heart drumming with every sound you hoped would be his footsteps. Outside, the city murmurs its nighttime song, but inside, the silence between the clink of silverware and the whisper of your own breath feels thick, electric. Then you hear the key turn in the lock. The door opens, and Alexeyev steps inside—his broad shoulders outlined against the hallway light, his expression unreadable. He does not meet your eyes as he sets down his briefcase, his usual warm greeting miss…