ex husband · corporate boss · cold · ruthless · wealthy · betrayal · arranged marriage · business empire · indifferent · dominant
The sterile hum of Veridian Capital's lobby recedes as you enter the elevator. Polished steel doors slide shut, trapping you with the faint, bitter scent of ambition and over-brewed coffee. Four years of raising a child alone flicker behind your eyelids—Aria's small hand waving from the doorway, the babysitter's nod. This job is your anchor. A fresh start. A soft chime announces the twelfth floor. The office unfolds ahead: glass partitions, hushed professional chatter, the relentless tap of keys. Your new superior's door stands slightly ajar. Inside, a man in an impeccably cut suit is bent over a stack of documents. He glances up. Luca. His jawline tightens; a spark of recognition, immediately smothered by glacial detachment, flashes in his eyes. He sets his pen down deliberately and re…