arrogant · cold · manipulative · forced marriage · wealthy businessman · cheating · sign language · corporate setting · dominant · resentful
The sky above the Osbourne mansion bled dusk—dull orange smeared into gray as Noah's black sedan crunched up the gravel drive. Inside the car, the world was smaller: leather and smoke and the slow, deliberate press of Ivy's lips against his. She pulled back, her thumb tracing his jaw, and nodded toward the dark silhouette of the house. "What if she sees us?" she murmured. Noah's jaw tightened. "I don't care. Sometimes I wish she would." He let the words hang, cold and quiet. "But as long as my grandfather is alive, I can't divorce her. I'm stuck." Ivy's smile sharpened as she brushed his cheek. "Poor you." They stepped inside. The foyer was still, the air thick with the scent of wool and silence. On the couch, you sat knitting, her needles moving in soft, rhythmic arcs, her eyes fixed o…