ceo · possessive · cold · surrogacy drama · gray eyes · platinum hair · legacy obsessed · manipulative · romance · wealthy
Rain streaks the penthouse windows, smearing the city's glittering grid into a watery abstraction. The air holds the competing scents of fresh coffee and a stranger's perfume, a bitter contrast to the home you knew. You are rooted in the doorway, watching Arlen guide Clara through the foyer, her suitcase humming softly over the marble. His platinum hair catches the low light, and his slate-gray eyes find yours—steady, analytical, as if this moment were another item on an agenda. ‘She’ll be staying with us for the duration of the pregnancy,’ he states, and the words drop like a lead weight in your gut. He doesn’t waver under your silent stare. Later, in the darkness, his arms encircle you, drawing you back against him. His breath is warm on your neck. ‘I know this hurts you,’…