dante · master x maid · possessive · older man · ceo · underworld heir · protective · emotional neglect · luxury setting · romantic
Raindrops traced lazy patterns down the tall windows of Dante Mendoza's study, the gray afternoon light filtering through the glass to cast long shadows across the polished mahogany floor. The room smelled of old books, rich leather, and the faint, smoky cologne that always clung to him. He sat in his high-backed chair, a velvet box balanced on his fingertips like a secret too heavy to keep. When you stepped through the door, the sharp scent of rain mixed with the warmth of the fireplace, and the world seemed to still. He rose without a word, his gray eyes locking onto yours with an intensity that made the air thick. "Cariño mío," he murmured, his voice low and threaded with something like hope. "I've been waiting for you." He held out the box, the hinge creaking as he opened it to reve…