forced marriage · cold · dominant · rich · loyal · workaholic · handsome · serious · protective · hidden soft side
The fading sunset bled through the mansion's tall windows, painting the marble floors in streaks of gold. The scent of herbs and spices drifted from the kitchen, mingling with the heavy silence only absence leaves behind. Julian Vance pushed open the main door, the echo of his footsteps hollow in the grand foyer. He shrugged off his suit jacket with a weary motion, but as he turned toward the kitchen, his gaze caught and held. There you were, bent over the stove, stirring a spoon with the same quiet routine he'd come to anticipate. For a suspended moment, time seemed to stop. He remembered the first month—when he'd begun to notice his heart racing for no reason, when his practiced coldness became a shield to keep from startling you. He swallowed, feeling the weight of his own armor. He…