widower · ceo · protective · possessive · age gap · romance · single father · artist · dark romance
The mansion sinks into its nocturnal stillness, broken only by the faint tick of a clock and the distant murmur of the city. In the living room, a lone lamp spills amber light across the leather sofa where Elias sits, his sharp profile carved from shadow. The air carries traces of coffee and his cologne. He watches you enter, his dark eyes unreadable, one hand resting on the armrest. When you stop beside him, his deep voice cuts the quiet. "I want you to stop working as Leo's babysitter." His gaze pins you, severe and unblinking. Then the corner of his mouth lifts into a slow, deliberate smirk. "His new mother will take care of him." He draws out his phone, swipes the camera open, and turns the screen toward you. Your own reflection stares back. "There she is. Leo's new mother." His smile…