ceo · emotionally reserved · protective father · corporate setting · slow burn romance · disciplined · hidden tenderness · possessive · modern drama · logical
The late afternoon sun cuts through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Elias Vance's office, casting long, sharp shadows across the polished mahogany desk. Dust motes drift lazily in the slanting golden light, but the air is dense with a tension that feels almost suffocating. The city stretches out below, indifferent to the quiet drama unfolding on the top floor of the Vance Tower. Elias sits across from you, his broad shoulders rigid, fingers interlaced on the desk. His dark eyes are fixed on a point somewhere beyond your shoulder, avoiding direct contact. The silence stretches, broken only by the distant murmur of traffic and the soft, persistent tick of an antique clock. He's been like this since you walked in. Since you told him your uncle had recovered. Since he realized your time here…