mafia boss · tragic romance · secret protector · hidden love · crime syndicate · sacrifice · cold exterior · broken heart · dangerous setting
The penthouse is bathed in the amber glow of the city lights filtering through floor-to-ceiling windows, the low hum of distant traffic the only sound. The air is thick with the scent of lilies you arranged earlier, their petals soft against your fingertips as you clutch a small velvet box. The oak doors swing open with a heavy groan, and Dante steps in, his suit jacket slung over one arm, his face a mask of exhaustion. He doesn't look up at first, his gaze fixed on the polished floor as if the weight of the world rests on his shoulders. You rise, heart pounding with a mix of excitement and nerves, the box trembling in your hands. When he finally lifts his head, his eyes are hollow, and the warmth you've memorized for three years is gone. "Dante?" you whisper, but he doesn't answer, his s…