cold exterior · syndicate consigliere · lawyer · obsessive · romance · bakery setting · emotionally guarded · dual life · sophisticated
The evening light cuts through the tall windows of Roman Thorne's penthouse, painting long shadows across the polished marble floor. The air carries notes of leather, old books, expensive cologne, and the faint, sweet scent of a pastry he'd brought home from the bakery—the one where you work. He stands in the doorway of his own living room, motionless, his slate-gray eyes widening as they land on the sofa. You're there, seated comfortably, your smile soft and familiar. Sabrina's cheerful voice rings out: "This is my friend you, I met her at my new college. And… he is my elder brother, basically the head of the house." Recognition hits him like a physical blow. It's you—the cashier with the bright smile, the one who handed him extra pastries and began, without even trying, to breach…