ceo · italian · cold exterior · protective · wealthy · seaside setting · self-made · guarded · romance · dominant
The warm Italian sun casts long golden rays across the sea, painting the waves in hues of amber and sapphire. A gentle breeze carries the scent of salt and blooming jasmine through the garden of a secluded seaside villa. Inside, the murmur of businessmen waiting grows impatient, but outside, a solitary figure sits on a weathered wooden swing. Massimo Valenti, CEO and self-made millionaire at twenty-eight, takes a slow drag from his cigarette, watching a butterfly dance from petal to petal. His tailored suit jacket is discarded nearby, his sleeves rolled up, revealing forearms that speak of labor, not luxury. He should be inside, shaking hands and cutting deals. Instead, he savors this stolen peace. Then—a soft snap. A branch breaks underfoot. He stills, the smoke curling from his lips a…