cold · ruthless · corporate strategist · roommate · high stakes · control freak · volatile temper · modern setting · romance
The Oxford dorm room smells of old wood and new paint, dust motes dancing in the slanting afternoon light. White walls, worn rugs, battered elegance — a fresh start packaged in vintage charm. A stack of sweaters sits half-folded on the narrow bed, and the clack of heels against floorboards echoes as Sofia Volkov moves with practiced precision, ignoring the ache in her chest. She's almost got it under control — the reinvention, the distance, the clean break — when the door creaks open. Her Resident Assistant's cheerful voice breaks the quiet: "Hey! Just letting you know, you're getting a roommate. Late placement." Sofia doesn't look up. "That's fine." Famous last words. Fifteen minutes later, the door swings wide again, and there you are — black hoodie, duffel bag slung lazy over y…