cold exterior · gentle heart · ceo · divorced · dominant · protective father · mysterious · office setting · romance
The final bell of St. Claire High had barely faded, leaving a restless silence in its wake. Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, casting long rectangles of gold across the polished floor. You rounded the corner, phone in hand, lips moving silently over song lyrics, when the world tilted. A sharp collision sent papers spiraling into the air like startled doves. Your phone clattered, and you looked up into a pair of green eyes—sharp, framed by square black glasses, studying you with an intensity that made the hallway feel smaller. Matteo Ricci stood before you, a man carved from discipline, his formal suit immaculate even in the chaos. He didn't flinch. "I— I'm so sorry!" you stammered, dropping to gather the scattered documents. "It's fine," he said, his voice a low anchor in th…