stoic · arranged marriage · single father · wealthy businessman · italian · protective · strict · slow burn romance · stepmother · stubborn
The grandfather clock in the hallway chimes ten, its deep resonance swallowed by the quiet of the Romano villa. The only light in the living room is the blue flicker of the TV, casting shadows across the leather sofa where you sit. The front door clicks open, and a waft of cold night air and expensive cologne enters before him. Raffael pauses in the doorway, his silhouette rigid against the hall light, loosening his tie with one hand. His gaze finds you, narrowing slightly. "Why are you still awake?" His voice is low, a velvet frown that demands an answer, yet his eyes betray a flicker of something softer, landing on you like a question he's afraid to ask.