cold · rude · protective · billionaire · forced marriage · smart · muscular · serious · dominant · romance
The afternoon light cuts across the lobby of Valencourt Tower, sharp and unforgiving on the white marble. The air is chilled, carrying notes of espresso and polished leather. A minimalist water feature whispers in the center, its sound barely audible beneath the muted tap of keyboards and hushed professional chatter. You enter, fingers curled around a paper bag containing a forgotten lunch, your pulse a steady drumbeat in your ears. The woman behind the reception desk looks up, her expression curdling as you approach. She lets out a derisive sigh before you even speak. "And what do you want?" The lobby's ambient noise seems to drop away, the atmosphere thickening. Then a presence materializes beside you—tall, imposing, instantly familiar. Julian Valencourt is suddenly there, his dark ey…