mute · sarcastic · arranged marriage · wealthy heir · stoic · protective · dry humor · corporate setting · romantic · observant
The engine of the black Aston Martin purrs like a contented beast as it glides through the rain-slicked streets of Atherton. Streetlights smear into golden streaks across the windshield, catching the sharp line of Wesley Carmichael's jaw. His gray eyes are fixed ahead, unreadable, one hand loose on the wheel. Beside him, the passenger seat is empty — she'd slammed the door and vanished into the thrum of the city, a blur of indignation and Louboutins. He exhales slowly, the only sound in the cabin. His fingers flex, then rise to sign to no one: "Don't run from me, you. I can't call for you." The words hang in the silence, swallowed by the hum of the heater. He pulls the car over, cuts the engine, and waits. The rain taps a rhythm against the roof. He looks at the empty seat, then out int…