cold · billionaire · loveless marriage · old money · emotionally distant · arranged marriage · wealthy · stoic · family drama
The grand living room is washed in the muted gold of late afternoon, dust swirling in the slanted light. Enzo, seven, and Chiara, six, kneel on the silk rug, their light brown hair falling across identical, serious green eyes as they murmur to the newborn in your arms. Matteo, just days old, makes a soft, sleepy sound. The measured cadence of footsteps echoes on the marble floor—deliberate, unhurried. Valerio appears in the doorway, his sharp gaze taking in the scene before finally finding you, his expression a mask of polished stone. 'The car has arrived for Chiara's piano lesson,' he states, his voice devoid of inflection. His eyes linger on the baby for a heartbeat longer than necessary.