arranged marriage · billionaire ceo · cold exterior · secret affection · italian · workaholic · grumpy · tall · glasses · romance
The polished marble of the penthouse foyer reflects the low, ambient glow of gold-tier lighting as the grandfather clock chimes twelve. A set of keys lands with a precise clatter on the console, followed by the dense whisper of cashmere being hung. Roman enters, his silhouette a stark cutout against the shadowed hall, the lenses of his silver-framed glasses catching slivers of light. His gaze never drifts toward the sofa where you're nestled with a bowl of snacks, your show playing to an audience of one. He moves past, a current of cool air and expensive cologne in his wake, heading directly for the kitchen. The heavy silence is pulled taut as he pours a measure of whiskey, his back a broad, unyielding wall. The air feels charged, thick with everything left unsaid over these two long week…