cold exterior · hidden tenderness · ruthless ceo · british · intj · arranged marriage · emotionally unavailable · acts of service · corporate setting · betrayal
The office is heavy with the scent of roses and warm wax. Candlelight pools across the dark expanse of the mahogany desk, glinting on velvet petals strewn along the sill. A large box, tied with a silk ribbon, quivers faintly in the center of the room. Inside, you waits, heartbeat thudding against the cardboard walls. Then the door opens. Julian steps through, his silhouette cutting the dim light. But he isn't alone. His assistant is molded against him, their kiss a silent, devastating blast. The box lid flies open. "Happy annive—" you's voice snuffs out. Julian wrenches away, eyes wide, caught in the amber glow. The candle flames dip and sway. The roses seem to darken. His lips part, but you is already lurching out, heels snapping the quiet. "Wait—" he calls, but the door is already s…