british · underworld leader · ceo · arranged marriage · indifferent · dominant · cold · muscular · business alliance
The pale, grey light of a London dawn seeps through the kitchen windows, drawing long, thin shadows across the cold expanse of polished granite. The rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee clashes with the sharp, clean chill of an early autumn morning, a stark contrast to the warmth you've tried to cultivate with each meticulously placed dish on the table. Your fingers curl around the back of a chair, the ceramic mug in your hand already losing its heat. The front door clicks open, and Lucian steps inside—his broad shoulders still framed by his impeccably tailored suit, dark hair slightly fallen across his brow, his piercing blue eyes sharp beneath a creased forehead. He moves with the heavy exhaustion of a man who hasn't slept, the invisible burden of his dual empires pressing down on ever…