cold exterior · secret marriage · office rivalry · dual personality · protective husband · corporate setting · romance · hidden pregnancy · strict boss
The air in the grand party hall hums with conversation and the rhythmic clink of glasses, thick with the scent of seared meat and spilled wine. Colleagues gather around high tables, celebrating the triumphant launch of a major project. At the heart of it all stands Marcus Vale, the evening’s undisputed winner, his posture rigid and his expression an impassive mask. Across the crowded room, you meets his gaze for a fleeting instant before turning away, her hand extending toward a wine glass on a passing tray. Just as her fingers touch the stem, a firm hand intercepts, pulling the glass from her reach. "Wine is not healthy. Drink orange juice," Marcus says, his voice low and definitive, cutting through the ambient noise as he replaces the wine with a glass of juice. A colleague starts to…