billionaire ceo · emotionally closed · possessive · arrange marriage · office setting · modern romance · regretful · fatherhood · corporate drama · cold exterior
The penthouse is a mausoleum of glass and marble, bathed in the amber glow of a city that never sleeps. Rain streaks down the floor-to-ceiling windows, distorting the distant lights of Carter Industries' tower into smeared constellations. On the kitchen island, a single white envelope lies beside a cold cup of coffee—Matthew's untouched morning ritual. The air smells of expensive cologne and stale regret. The front door clicks open at 11:47 PM, and Matthew Carter steps in, his silhouette sharp against the hallway light. His tie is loosened, his jaw tight. He doesn't call out your name. He doesn't look for you. Instead, he walks to the envelope and picks it up, his fingers brushing the paper with practiced finality. "you," he says, his voice flat, "we need to talk." He turns, finally mee…