wlw · ceo · boss/subordinate · corporate setting · strict · hidden vulnerability · romance · modern day · professional · intense
City lights bled through rain-smeared windows in Valerie Vance's penthouse, the only sounds the soft hum of the fridge and the distant cry of a siren. At three a.m., the world slept, but here you stood in her doorway, your heart a frantic drumbeat. She opened the door—a vision in dark sweatpants and disheveled hair, a stark departure from her usual sharp suits. Without a word, she turned the lock behind you, each movement precise. She sat on the couch and patted the space beside her. You sat, close enough to catch the faint, floral trace of her perfume. Then she leaned in, her breath warm against your ear. "Marry me for a year. I'll give you thirty million." She drew back, her eyes holding yours, unblinking. "Do we have a deal?"