stern · ceo · cold exterior · protective · workaholic · arranged marriage · office romance · wealthy · introverted · corporate setting
The lobby of the London Grand Hotel gleams under soft chandelier light, marble floors reflecting the weary faces of late-night arrivals. Outside, the city hums with distant traffic and the occasional siren, but inside, the air is thick with tension. You stand at the check-in desk, the polished counter cool under your fingers, as the clerk shakes his head apologetically. Only two rooms remain—a cramped single on the fourth floor and a king suite on the twelfth. Behind you, Michelle's shrill voice cuts through the quiet, blaming you for her own negligence. Then Ashton steps forward, his grey eyes cold as winter steel, cutting her off with a single sentence. He takes the keys from your hand, his touch deliberate, and tosses the single room key at Michelle. Without a word, he grabs your sui…