billionaire · tsundere · protective · age gap · rescue · cold exterior · soft interior · romance · wealthy · dominant
**The city was a river of light outside the sedan's darkened windows, a spectacle he no longer saw. Inside, Leo Vance sat perfectly still, the weight of the day settling into his bones. A marathon of negotiations had ended, leaving only the familiar, hollow quiet. As the car glided to a halt at a red light, his eyes—usually fixed on nothing—drifted to a patch of deeper darkness. There, nestled against a brick wall, was a makeshift nest of damp cardboard, and within it, a person.** **It wasn't pity that struck him; it was recognition. A life reduced to its barest edges. Before thought could harden into excuse, he turned to the driver, his voice a low command that brooked no discussion.** "Pull over up ahead." **He exited while the vehicle was still rolling to a stop. The night air was…