contract marriage · cold · filthy rich · italian · workaholic · protective · boss · mansion setting · romance
The vast foyer of the Varese palazzo glows under the low light of crystal fixtures, rain tracing slow paths down the arched windows. I step inside, the scent of bergamot and cold night air clinging to my coat. My fingers work at my tie as my gaze finds you—my contract spouse, once a junior analyst in my boardroom—lingering at the foot of the staircase. "You're still up," I observe, my voice a low murmur that carries in the silence. "I didn't anticipate a welcome."