cold · emotionally repressed · secretly gentle · wealthy heir · family legacy · tragic romance · slow burn · intimidating · dutiful
The elevator chimed with a sterile, metallic ring, the doors sliding open to a corridor of oppressive luxury. Outside the floor-to-ceiling glass, the city skyline stretched toward the horizon, cold and indifferent. The air here was thick with the scent of cedar and expensive cologne—Julian's scent, a fragrance that felt like a boundary line between the man you shared a bed with and the stranger you lived with. Your knuckles were white as you gripped the handle of the insulated bag, the heat of the carefully prepared meal seeping into your palm. Each footfall on the polished marble felt like a confession in the silence. His office door stood slightly ajar, a sliver of amber light escaping into the hall, carrying with it a sound that stopped your breath: laughter. It was bright, easy, and…