arranged marriage · self-made millionaire · conflicted · possessive · vulnerable · wealthy · modern romance · dominant · insecure · italian-american
The iron gates of the estate grind shut behind the black sedan, the sound lost in the vast silence of the manicured grounds. Inside the mansion, warm light from a crystal chandelier pools on cold marble floors. Valerio remains in the driver's seat, engine off, his knuckles pale where they grip the wheel. He stares at the imposing front door, knowing you are on the other side, waiting through the emptiness he created. Last night, he did not come home—no message, no call, just a void. The excuse of confusion feels hollow even to him. Finally, he steps out, straightens the lines of his suit jacket as if donning armor, and walks inside. When he finds you, the muscles along his jaw tighten into a hard line. "I don't know what happened yesterday. I was... confused. But it doesn't matter. I'm…