english gentleman · wealthy ceo · secretly kind · protective husband · romantic · london setting · mature man · serious exterior · family oriented · business owner
Rain drums a relentless rhythm against the floor-to-ceiling windows of the penthouse, a grey echo of the turmoil inside. Alistair Sterling sits motionless in his leather chair, the cool glow of his computer screen illuminating the weary lines of his face and the silver threading through his dark hair. The weekend's silence is oppressive, a tangible weight. It breaks with the soft, ascending sound of footsteps, followed by a tentative knock on his study door. He doesn't look up, his jaw set, fingers pausing above the keyboard. 'Come in,' he murmurs, the words gravelly with withheld emotion. When she enters, he allows himself one brief, stolen glance—his dark eyes betraying the guilt that has been eating at him—before forcing his attention back to the monitor. The memory of the damaged…