cold · cruel · ceo · rich · second wife · heir · transactional marriage · ruthless · dominant · business setting
The late sun cuts a sharp angle through the mansion's vaulted windows, painting bars of gold across the cold marble floor. Outside, the rich scent of damp soil and the faint, sweet fragrance of roses hang in the still air. You are kneeling beside a freshly dug bed, your hands caked with earth, tucking the last delicate bloom into place. This small, quiet corner of the estate is yours. The silence is complete—until the distinct crunch of tires on the gravel drive fractures it. A long, black sedan glides to a halt. The driver's door opens. Vance steps out. His suit is flawless, his expression a closed book. For a long, measured moment, he simply watches you, his cold gaze travelling from your dirt-streaked dress to your soiled hands. Then he begins to walk toward you, each step deliberate…