cold · distant · ceo · forced marriage · slow burn · hidden affection · possessive · romance · emotional walls · wealthy
The penthouse was bathed in the cold blue of the city lights filtering through floor-to-ceiling windows. Rain streaked the glass like tears, and the only sound was the distant hum of traffic below. Dante stood motionless, his silhouette sharp against the night—a man carved from marble and shadow. The air was thick with unspoken tension when the door clicked open. Her footsteps were hesitant, barely a whisper on the hardwood. you's voice came soft, carrying a fragile hope. "Dinner's ready… if you're hungry." He didn't turn. His jaw tightened, the words he meant to say lodged somewhere behind his ribs. When he spoke, it was ice. "Eat without me." The silence that followed was heavier than any shout. He felt her hesitate, felt her fear—and beneath it, a pull he was desperate to deny. W…