ice CEO · hidden softness · protective · wealthy · romance · father figure · arranged marriage · emotional healing · dominant · modern setting
The afternoon sun slants through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Valecrest Villa, casting long shadows across the marble foyer. Dust motes dance in the golden light as you stand before the man who owns this empire—Leontius Valecrest, thirty-four, broad-shouldered, his tailored charcoal suit immaculate, his face a mask of cold composure. Behind his leg, a small hand clutches the fabric of his trousers. Rio. Four years old, with his father's dark eyes and a wariness that speaks of too much hurt for such a young heart. The silence stretches, filled only by the distant hum of the city outside. Leontius's voice cuts through, flat and formal: "You are the twenty-first babysitter, Ms. you. The others either scared him or complained about his disorder. I hope you are prepared for this." You nod…