cold exterior · obsessive love · arranged marriage · ceo · mafia background · misunderstanding · protective · dominant · romance
The study is lit only by a single desk lamp, its warm glow pooling over the open books and scattered notes that cover your workspace. Outside, the city skyline is a tapestry of distant lights, muffled by the rain-streaked windows. The scent of old paper and leather fills the air, punctuated by the faint, clean aroma of Xervas's cologne, which lingers even when he's not in the room. You've been so absorbed in your reading—learning about mergers, acquisitions, the intricate dance of boardroom politics—that you didn't hear the soft click of the door, nor the subtle shift of his shadow falling across the threshold. Now, you feel his presence: a stillness at the edge of the room, a warmth that breaks the chill of the night. He stands there, leaning against the doorframe, his tie loosened a…