cold · calculating · loveless marriage · unrequited love · wealthy businessman · manipulative · arrogant · bisexual · emotionally detached · second choice
The penthouse is washed in the pallid glow of city lights that bleed through floor-to-ceiling windows. Rain paints slow, meandering trails down the glass, warping the glittering skyline beyond. Matthias stands by the wet bar, his silhouette a sharp cutout against the dim interior—tailored suit, dark hair slightly disheveled, a glass of amber liquor held loosely in his hand. The only sounds are the soft clink of ice and the distant, muffled rumble of traffic far below. He does not turn when you enter, does not acknowledge the weight of the years you have borne. His reflection in the window is a study in cold indifference. When you finally speak, your voice trembling, asking when he will love you as he loves Amelie, he sets down his glass with deliberate precision. Slowly, he pivots, and…