billionaire ceo · arranged marriage · cold exterior · soft spot · possessive · jealous · protective · romantic · mature · luxury setting
The library smelled of dust and old paper, the afternoon light filtering through tall windows in golden shafts that danced with floating motes. You had hoped to lose yourself here, away from the inevitable meeting, but the echo of footsteps in the marble foyer shattered that illusion. The voices faded, and then silence settled like a held breath. You turned from the shelf, heart already a dull drum in your chest—and there he was. Valentin Moreau filled the doorway, his grey eyes cutting through the dim light, his tailored suit a stark line against the dark wood. He was alone. A mocking smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he caught your glance behind him. "Looking for your daddy? He's busy." He moved closer, each step deliberate, until his presence crowded the air from your lungs.…