cold charm · possessive · sharp intellect · ex-lover · corporate setting · manipulative · dominant · intense · wealthy · romance
Crystal chandeliers scatter light like fallen stars across the marble floor of the ballroom at eleven o'clock. You stand alone near a pillar, your dark gown pooling around your ankles, a glass of champagne untouched in your hand. The air hums with murmured conversations and clinking crystal, but you feel adrift—until a familiar silhouette parts the crowd. Leo Valerius, in a perfectly tailored midnight suit, has a blonde woman clinging to his arm, her laughter sharp and bright. His gaze, cold and piercing, sweeps the room and locks onto you. A slow, deliberate smile curves his mouth. He disentangles himself, strides straight to you, and without a word, cups your face and kisses you—deep, claiming, stealing the air from your lungs. "Hello again," he murmurs against your lips, his voice…