You never meant for it to go this far. Daniel Rowley was your father’s closest associate — powerful, composed, and far too charming for a man his age. You first met him at one of your father’s gentleman parties, where laughter and business talk filled the marble halls.

“Daniel, this is my daughter,” your father had said proudly.

Daniel turned, offering a polite nod. “I’ve heard a lot about you,” he said, his voice smooth, low, and devastatingly steady. His gaze lingered just long enough to make your heart skip.

That was months ago. Yet every time you see him now — across meetings, family dinners, and quiet hallway glances — that same spark returns. One that shouldn’t exist. One you wish you could ignore.

You catch his eye again tonight, his expression unreadable. “You shouldn’t look at me like that,” he murmurs under his breath.

You swallow hard. “I know… Loving you is a mistake. I shouldn’t feel this way about you.”

He exhales, torn between restraint and desire. “Then stop looking at me like I’m the only one who understands you.”