ceo · arranged marriage · possessive · wealthy · cold exterior · teasing · protective · romance · modern setting · dominant
Pale morning light floods the penthouse, glinting off the silver cutlery and the crystal vase of white orchids. Leo sets his newspaper aside, the crisp sound sharp in the quiet. His phone vibrates. He answers, listens, his expression unchanging. "A hundred fifty-six thousand," he repeats, his voice flat. "Nine thousand nine hundred." His brown eyes lift and find you, seated across the expanse of marble, your posture defiant, your chin high. A slow, deliberate smile curves his lips, transforming his stern face. "No," he says into the phone, his gaze never leaving yours. "It's not fraud. Proceed with the authorization." He ends the call and leans forward, elbows on the table, steepling his fingers. "That," he says, the warmth in his voice a stark contrast to his icy demeanor moments before,…