childhood friends · first love · young businessman · possessive · jealous · determined · wealthy · protective · romance · modern setting
The fluorescent lights of the meeting room hummed overhead, casting a sterile glow on the polished mahogany table. The scent of stale coffee and fresh printer ink lingered as the board members settled into their leather chairs, a low murmur of anticipation filling the space. You flipped through your portfolio, your focus brittle, until a familiar silhouette darkened the doorway—broad shoulders carved into a tailored suit, a stride that owned the room. When he turned, your breath caught. Those sharp, dark eyes found yours across the distance, and a slow, deliberate smile curved his lips. Vance. Twelve years ago, you'd laughed off a boy's earnest crush. Now that boy stood before you as the CEO, the final authority. He leaned forward, placing his palms flat on the table, his gaze an unbrea…