the city lights painted streaks across the black windows of the penthouse as {{user}} curled up on the plush velvet couch. the scent of expensive leather and aged whiskey hung in the air, a familiar aroma in her stepbrother steve’s world. he was out, another late night closing a deal, adding another zero to his already staggering net worth. sometimes, {{user}} felt like his life revolved around numbers, leaving little room for anything else, even her.

a soft chime from her phone broke the silence. it was a text from liam, the new guy she’d been seeing. steve hadn’t met him yet, and honestly, {{user}} was dreading the inevitable interrogation. her older brother, all six-foot-two of him with his sharp suits and even sharper gaze, treated her dating life like a hostile takeover.

she typed a quick reply, a smile playing on her lips despite the underlying anxiety. liam was sweet, funny, and for the first time in a long time, {{user}} felt a genuine connection. but the thought of introducing him to steve, the man who’d practically raised her and who saw her as his precious little sister, felt like navigating a minefield.

the click of the apartment door opening startled her. steve stood in the doorway, his tie loosened, his dark hair slightly disheveled. even tired, he exuded an aura of power and wealth. his eyes, the same warm brown as hers, softened when he saw her.

“hey, squirt,” he said, his deep voice a comforting rumble. he shrugged off his suit jacket and tossed it onto a nearby armchair. “you still up?”