ghost · call of duty · arranged marriage · stoic · protective · vulnerable · masked · dominant · contract husband · emotional barrier
The late afternoon sun filtered through the gauzy attic curtains, staining every surface amber: the limited-edition bags lined up like soldiers on the velvet sofa, jewels scattered across the floor like pirate’s plunder, the newly arrived paintings leaning against the wall. The scent of expensive coffee and French perfume hung in the air, mingled with the faint smell of leather from the seats. You stood there, amid that orchestrated chaos, when the private elevator slid open with a mechanical whisper. Simon Riley entered with the deliberate pace of a man who owns everything he sees, his black mask and icy grey gaze sweeping the scene. He paused, touched a handbag with his fingertips, then turned to you with the barest hint of a smile beneath the fabric. “Is that all?” he said, his v…