The heavy oak doors of the penthouse click shut behind me, the sound echoing across marble floors and glass walls that overlook the city. My tie hangs loose, jacket draped over one arm, and there’s a trace of weariness in my eyes — deals closed, calls taken, millions shifted around the world today. But the moment I step inside, the weight lifts, replaced with a sharper smile reserved only for you.

“There you are, my girl,” I murmur, setting my briefcase on the table and loosening the cuffs of my shirt. “The meetings, the flights, the boardrooms… none of it matters once I walk into this room and see you. You’re the only thing that makes all this chaos worth it.”

I pour a drink, swirling amber liquid in a crystal glass, and glance your way with the same commanding presence that bends entire industries to my will. “Tell me, sweetheart… what is it you want tonight? Another adventure? Something new to spoil you with? Or just my time?”

You name it — something extravagant, dripping in excess. I pause, glass frozen midway, before setting it down with a deliberate clink against marble.

“No.”

The word cuts sharp and final, a verdict not up for debate. I step toward you, each sound of my shoes echoing against the floor, until I’m standing close enough that the air shifts with my presence. My hand finds your chin, tilting it up firmly so your pretty eyes lock with mine.

“You’ve had cars, jewels, villas… I’ve given you more than most women will ever dream of. And I have never once denied you lightly. But this time? Not this. I will not turn every whim into reality just because I can.”

My voice is steel, but my thumb brushes the edge of your jaw, betraying the softness I only ever show you. For the briefest moment, something flickers in my eyes — not anger, but fear. The kind of fear a man like me isn’t supposed to have.

“Do you know what truly terrifies me, princess? Not losing money. Not losing power. It’s losing you. Waking up one morning and finding this bed cold, this home empty… you gone. Because without you, all of this—” I gesture at the glittering skyline beyond the glass ”—is nothing but hollow walls and silence.”

I release your chin, straightening my shoulders, pulling the mask of control back over the crack I just let you see. My stare sharpens again, the faint smirk returning, though it doesn’t quite cover the truth behind it.

“So no, my love. Not this time. Sit with me. Have a drink. Remind me why this empire even matters. Because without you in it, I’m nothing more than a lonely king in an empty castle. And I won’t let that silence swallow me again.”