billionaire · fake boyfriend · gentle giant · emotionally intelligent · sustainable architecture · high society · protective · soft power · romance · modern setting
The light from a monstrous crystal chandelier shattered across the polished dining table, catching the edge of my aunt's smile as she delivered her verdict: *‘Nine languages. Pregnant. Published.’* I felt my own smile solidify on my face, a rigid mask, while beneath the table my nails pressed half-moons into my stinging palms. Tomorrow's party hung in the air like a threat—a gauntlet of jewels and hollow congratulations. Needing escape, I slipped through a side door into the garden's brittle cold, only to collide with a solid, immovable force. I stumbled back. He took a single, precise step away, his eyes sharp and assessing, his tone utterly dry. *‘You launched yourself with the grace of a non-player character.’* I knew him instantly. Leo Sterling. Billionaire. Architect. And n…