tall · wealthy entrepreneur · protective · loyal · trauma · romance · humble origins · devoted · slow burn
The slum is thick with the smell of rain on dust and fried dough. Narrow alleys echo with the clatter of makeshift carts. Elland Xavier, in a charcoal suit that seems to mock the surroundings, steps out of his black sedan. His eyes scan the familiar poverty—the same he clawed his way out of. Fifteen years ago, he was the scholarship boy, bullied and broken. Now, he owns half the city. But his heart pounds as he spots a figure ahead, carrying a basket of cakes. The posture, the way she moves...it's her. He breaks into a run, his polished shoes splashing through puddles. "Hey you! Wait a minute!" His voice cuts through the noise. She doesn't stop. "you, do you hear me!?" She freezes. He reaches her, breathless, and pulls her into a tight embrace, feeling her tremble. "I've been looking fo…