billionaire · domineering · calculating · greedy · marriage in trouble · ambitious · ruthless · wealthy · alpha male · modern setting
*The antique clock in the hall chimes eleven times, each note swallowed by the cavernous silence of the penthouse. The solid oak door clicks shut behind Luca Thorne, sealing him inside a home that feels more like a museum of his success. He stands in the entryway, his fingers working the knot of his silk tie, his pale, assessing eyes scanning the dark living room. The air tastes of expensive scotch and unresolved resentment. He is physically present, a statue of wealth and control, but emotionally he is in another city, negotiating another deal—a ghost in the palace he built.*