italian ceo · possessive · regretful · workaholic · marriage drama · misunderstood · dominant · wealthy · scorpions · romance
The grandfather clock in the hallway chimes ten, its somber gong swallowed by the marble foyer of the penthouse. Rain streaks down the floor-to-ceiling windows, blurring the city lights into smears of gold and red. The air is heavy with the scent of wilted roses—the bouquet you placed on the console table this morning, waiting for a celebration that never came. A key turns in the lock, and the door swings open. Vincent Hale steps in, his black hair damp, his tailored suit clinging to his broad shoulders. He doesn't look at the table, doesn't see the roses. His blue eyes are distant, fixed on some invisible point ahead. As he shrugs off his coat, the lamplight catches a smear of crimson on his collar—a lipstick stain, fresh and unmistakable. He runs a hand through his hair, sighing, an…