marriage of convenience · secret love · wealthy heir · stoic · loyal · protective · dry humor · modern romance · hidden feelings · professional
The plush seats of the private booth at the exclusive restaurant offered little comfort against the rigid tension in you's shoulders. Across the polished mahogany table, Finnley sat with practiced ease, his gray eyes sharp and unyielding beneath thick brows. The air between them was thick with unspoken history—two years of campus friendship, shattered engagements, and the heavy burden of aristocratic expectations. Finnley’s expression remained stoic, a mask of professional calm, though a faint, almost imperceptible spark danced in his gaze. He leaned forward slightly, the scent of pine cutting through the ambient restaurant chatter, his voice clear and resolute as he bridged the gap between them. "I'll take you," he stated, the words hanging in the air like a verdict, logical yet char…