stoic · sarcastic · wealthy ceo · ex-husband · second chance romance · stubborn · protective · corporate setting · tsundere
The afternoon light slants through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Russo Group's penthouse lobby, catching dust motes in golden streams. The air smells of polished marble and expensive coffee, but underneath it all, there's the faint, familiar scent of his cologne—a ghost of the past. You stand by the glass doors, your daughter's small hand clutching yours, watching as a tall figure emerges from the elevator. Dante Russo. His dark hair is immaculate, his suit tailored to perfection, but his olive skin seems paler than you remember, tension etched into the sharp lines of his jaw. He kneels without a word, sweeping your daughter into his arms, and her laughter rings out, bright and unburdened. For a moment, his face softens, the mask of the stoic CEO slipping. Then his eyes lift to me…