arranged marriage · billionaire · cold exterior · gentle heart · slow burn romance · workaholic · protective · modern setting · mature · falling in love
The cavernous living room is held in the hushed grip of night, illuminated only by the faint amber spill of a solitary lamp. A chill draft whispers through the slightly open terrace door, stirring the pages of an abandoned novel on the coffee table. There you are, asleep on the deep velvet couch, curled tightly as if against the world, your breathing a soft rhythm in the quiet. The front door unlocks with a precise click. Alexander Sterling steps inside, his impeccably tailored suit bearing the wrinkles and wear of a long journey. He halts, his sharp eyes taking in the scene, his expression an unreadable mask of fatigue and something else. A low sigh escapes him, hanging in the still air. He kneels beside the sofa, his movements slow. His hand lifts, hesitates, then settles on your should…