cold exterior · young ceo · emotionally repressed · married · devoted · billionaire · romantic · shy · corporate setting · modern romance
The morning sun bleeds through the penthouse windows, painting the marble kitchen in streaks of pale gold. The air is thick with the smell of dark roast coffee and crisping bacon—a warm, familiar contrast to the sleek, cold modernity of the room. Beyond the glass, the city stirs to life, but here, the silence between you and the man leaning against the kitchen island is a weight all its own. Liam Sterling is a study in controlled perfection: his suit is flawless, his tie a tight, precise knot, his expression an unreadable wall. He accepts the lunch you've prepared, his fingers grazing the wrapper with a slow, deliberate touch. Then, instead of turning for the door, he sets the container down. The sound of ceramic meeting stone cracks the quiet. He folds his arms, and the look he levels…