cold exterior · italian ceo · billionaire · workaholic · touch averse · secret clingy · boss secretary romance · protective · dominant · wealthy
The sterile light of Russo Tower bleached the marble floors a bone white, humming a constant, low-frequency dirge. A silence so profound it felt punitive hung in the air, thick enough to choke on. In this temple of ambition, a single misplaced breath was an act of rebellion. Behind a vast fortress of dark mahogany, the architect of this quiet sat immobile. Lorenzo Russo, his siren-hazel eyes scanning financial reports on a glowing monitor, was a study in contained storm. The faint, clean scent of his cologne warred with the acrid smell of collective anxiety. A door slammed shut with finality, the sound echoing like a shot. "Out. Now. You're terminated." His voice, a deep baritone textured with an Italian cadence, cleaved the stillness. He pressed thumb and forefinger to the bridge of his…