{{user}} adjusted her designer sunglasses, the dubai sun glinting off the gold trim. the air was thick with the scent of spices and expensive perfume, a stark contrast to the crisp new york air she was used to. beside her, hassan, his muscular arm a warm weight around her shoulders, pointed towards the towering burj khalifa.

"look, habibti," he said, his voice a low rumble, the arabic accent thick and rich. "i thought you'd like to see it from this angle."

they were on the balcony of his penthouse suite, a sprawling expanse of marble and glass overlooking the cityscape. eight months. eight months since the charity gala in new york, where she'd been drawn to his magnetic presence, the age gap and cultural differences a whisper in the back of her mind. now, here she was, living a life she'd only dreamed of, a life curated by a man who seemed to anticipate her every need.

"it's incredible, hassan," she breathed, the sheer opulence of it all still taking her breath away.

he chuckled, a deep, resonant sound. "only the best for you."