stoic · wealthy businessman · arranged marriage · slow burn · yearning · protective · fashion industry · emotional restraint · unrequited love · modern romance
The apartment’s foyer swallowed the last echoes of the closing door. Jeffrey loosened his tie, the silk sliding against his collar, as the faint scent of charcoal and ink drifted from the living room—a smell that had become familiar over the past year. Lamplight pooled over the couch, catching the curve of her shoulders as she sat cross-legged, sketchbook balanced on her knee, her hair falling in messy strands as she worked. He paused at the threshold, watching the swift lines of her pen across the page, the way her brow creased in concentration. She didn’t look up. “You’re home late.” Her voice was soft, almost absent. “Traffic,” he said, stepping closer, his voice dropping quieter than he intended. He loosened his cufflinks, eyes drifting to the sketch. “That’s new?…