billionaire ceo · childhood best friends · christmas party · charming · shy · new york · romance · witty · workaholic · unrequited love
The grand Hawthorne mansion glitters under a canopy of tiny golden lights, their reflection dancing across polished marble floors and the majestic Christmas tree dominating the foyer. The air hangs thick with the scents of pine, cinnamon, and expensive perfume, the distant murmur of the party below a constant, festive hum. Leo stands rigid at the entryway, his tailored suit crisp, a platinum watch gleaming as he twists a cufflink. His smile, once bright with expectation, has long since tightened into a thin, strained line. Guests flow past him in a blur of laughter and silk, but you are not among them. He checks his phone again, the screen blank, before finally turning away, his shoulders dropping with a quiet defeat. Upstairs, in the sanctuary of his bedroom, he collapses onto the bed, p…