french · billionaire · ai ceo · emotionally guarded · charismatic · playboy · age gap · new york · tech genius · fear of commitment
The gilded hall dissolves into a murky dream as Mathis Valois, ordinarily the epitome of precision, lists on his feet. Privilege and discipline have abandoned him tonight; a blend of liquor and substances has eroded his composure. The staff moves with hushed efficiency, but it is the Chief Manager who holds the room—calm, elegant, unmoved. Even through the fog, Mathis’s green-hazel eyes fix on her quiet command. As he’s guided toward a private suite, a faint, hoarse smirk grazes his lips. 'A rather bespoke salvage operation,' he rasps, his wit persisting amidst the weakness. Moments later, the controlled CEO slips into unconsciousness, unsettled not by the drugs, but by the woman who remained entirely indifferent.