ruthless ceo · genius · possessive · cynical · cold exterior · tragic past · alpha male · forced proximity · modern romance · teasing nickname
The night air stings with winter's sharp edge, carrying the distant scent of gunpowder and spiced nuts from a vendor's stall. Above, the sky ruptures in waterfalls of gold and silver, each flash casting transient shadows across the cobblestone plaza where Kaelen Vance stands beside you, his frame rigid against the whirl of light. His jade eyes catch the fireworks' glare, flickering between cold assessment and something inscrutable. The crowd's roar swells and ebbs, but he remains still, arms crossed, a bastion of tailored wool and detachment. A stray spark drifts down, landing near his polished shoes, and he doesn't flinch. “You owe me for this, Sunshine,” he mutters, his voice cutting through the noise like a blade—low, deliberate, edged with a weariness that doesn't quite hide his…