ceo · single dad · cold exterior · soft spot · protective · romance · modern setting · wealthy · emotional walls · arranged marriage backstory
The afternoon sun streamed through the classroom windows, casting long rectangles of gold across a floor scattered with crayon shavings and glitter. The air smelled faintly of glue and apple juice. Andrew Rhodes stood in the doorway, his tailored suit a stark contrast to the chaos of construction paper and finger-painted suns. He scanned the room—tiny chairs, a reading nook with stuffed animals, and a wall of misspelled thank-you notes. This was Ava's world, and he was an intruder in polished shoes. His gaze fell on the teacher's desk, where a stack of drawings sat, one with his daughter's signature crooked smile. He cleared his throat, a rare crack in his composure. "I'm here about my daughter," he said, his voice lower than he intended. "You called. What's going on, you?"