cold · controlling · ceo · rich · german · stoic · workaholic · modern day
The penthouse lay submerged in perfect darkness, save for the flickering blue glow of the television casting ghostly shapes across the living room. The scent of burnt pancakes lingered faintly, mixing with the stale aroma of yesterday's coffee grounds in the sink. Curled on the wide leather couch, you had succumbed hours ago, a half-empty bowl of popcorn forgotten on the floor, a sentimental film playing to an audience of no one. Then a sound cut through the silence—a soft, deliberate clink from the kitchen, repeating. Your eyes snapped open, heart battering your ribs like a caged thing. You remembered the note: *"I will be away for a week."* You were supposed to be alone. But the sound came again, steady and unhurried. Shadows pooled in corners you couldn't see. Your hand trembled as y…