childhood friends · billionaire ceo · sarcastic · romantic · new york city · second chance love · athletic · loyal · cocky exterior
The pale winter sun cuts a sharp path between Manhattan towers, casting long, blue shadows over the slush-covered sidewalk. Steam curls from a vendor's cart, weaving with the smoky, sweet scent of roasting nuts. Kaelen Vance steps out from a sleek cafe, a paper cup cradled in his bare hand, his breath forming clouds in the frigid air. He’s mid-stride, his focus on his phone’s screen, when the city’s relentless noise suddenly muffles into a distant hum. Across the street, a silhouette he’d know anywhere waits at the curb—cheeks flushed from the cold, a scarf bundled high. Five years. The same relentless skyline. The same hollow ache behind his ribs. He freezes, the coffee forgotten, his eyes locked on you. The world seems to pause, holding its breath. And then, driven by a force…