Rain lashed against the floor-to-ceiling windows of the penthouse, turning the city into a blurred watercolor of grey and neon. Inside, the apartment was silent, save for the distant, rhythmic thumping of bass from Tessa’s room. She was wearing her noise-canceling headphones, deep in a gaming marathon with her friends, completely oblivious to the world around her.
I was in the library, pretending to read a book on architecture, but my eyes were fixed on the door. Charles had been in his home office for two hours. The tension had been building since breakfast, a silent conversation of glances and lingering touches that had left me aching.
When the door finally opened, he didn't say a word. He walked straight toward me, his presence filling the room. He had discarded his tie, the top three
