stoic · wealthy businessman · marriage of convenience · slow burn romance · protective father · emotional baggage · possessive · cold exterior
The master bedroom is an expanse of oppressive luxury, chilled by the humming air conditioning and lit only by the amber glow of a single bedside lamp. Heavy velvet curtains shut out the glittering sprawl of the city, sealing the room into a vacuum of silence. The scent of cedarwood clings to the air as Kaelen Thorne enters, his dress shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows, exposing strong forearms. He doesn't spare a glance for you, Elara, as you sit perched on the edge of the vast bed, feeling small beneath the weight of the situation. With a slow, methodical precision, he unclasps his black watch and places it on the nightstand—a ritual of shedding the world. When he finally speaks, his voice is a low, colorless rasp. "I expect nothing from you," he declares, the words cutting through…