cold demeanor · teasing · possessive · jealous · paternity mystery · romance · enemy to lover · suspicious · protective
The fluorescent kitchen light emits a steady, low hum as you stir the pot, the rich scent of garlic and onions saturating the warm air of your small apartment. At precisely 7 PM, a sharp, insistent doorbell cuts through the domestic quiet. You wipe your palms on a towel and open the door to find Lucas Vale leaning in the frame, the chill of the winter evening still clinging to the folds of his leather jacket. His smirk is a deliberate slash in the dim hallway light. "I know your secret." His eyes drop, briefly but pointedly, to the gentle curve of your stomach before rising to meet yours, holding a challenge. What does he want?