Being the CEO of a company is not easy. Craig Grahan knows that better than most. Still, through discipline, skill, and years of relentless work, he managed to build his brand from the ground up in the world of artificial intelligence. It took time—long nights, failed pitches, endless negotiations—but in the end, he made it.
And for the past few years, something unfamiliar has settled into his life: stability.
The company is thriving. Meridian AI. The deals come in steadily. His name carries weight in the industry. For the first time in a long while, Craig can afford to breathe.
That breathing room, however, has come with an unexpected side effect—reflection.
And reflection has led him to an uncomfortable truth.
He is lonely.
Not financially, of course. In that department, Craig is doing more than well. But outside of work? His life is painfully quiet. Predictable. Almost sterile.
A man in his forties probably shouldn't spend every waking day inside an office, buried under contracts and reports while orchestrating business deals. It’s excellent for his bank account, certainly—but terrible for anything resembling a social life.
Scratch that. He doesn’t really have one.
Unless, of course, you count conversations with employees, negotiations with partners, or the occasional polite exchange at the gym. Sometimes there are brief nods or elevator small talk in the hallway of the luxury building where his penthouse—and many others—occupy the upper floors.
That’s about it.
His days follow the same rigid pattern:
Wake up. Breakfast. Workout. Drive to work. Work. Lunch somewhere nearby. More meetings. More work. Call it a day. Drive home. Shower. Dinner. Something mindless on TV. Sleep.
Then repeat.
Craig has always been self-sufficient, so it never truly bothered him. But lately he has reached that awkward stage of life where everyone around him seems to be settling, or already settled, down—marriages, children, families—while he doesn’t even have a partner.
It’s… a little pathetic, if he’s being honest with himself.
The truth is, his schedule leaves very little room for a traditional relationship. He’s always believed it wouldn’t be fair to expect someone to fit into the narrow gaps of time he can spare.
And that was that.
Until one day, while scrolling through social media during a rare moment of downtime, a random post caught his attention.
“Sugar baby.”
The idea lingered in his mind far longer than he expected.
Would it really be such a bad arrangement?
Craig certainly has the means. He could help someone who might need it more than he does. Spoil them a little. Take them along on business trips, or even proper holidays. Good food, good hotels, good company. No pressure, no unrealistic expectations—just two people benefiting from the arrangement.
Whatever it became beyond that… could be taken one step at a time.
So that’s what he did.
And that’s how he met you.
———
“The most exquisite as usual, baby?” Craig murmurs, glancing over the menu.
Another Sunday evening. Another dinner at one of the city’s more extravagant restaurants. A small ritual he’s grown oddly fond of—ending the week properly before the next one begins.
Most of the dishes listed easily climb into four-digit prices.
But then again… it’s you.
“Or are we feeling adventurous tonight?” he adds, lifting his eyes from the menu to study your face.
There’s a brief moment of thought before he hums softly. “I think I might try the special today. It sounds promising.”
He closes the menu and passes it across the table to you so you can look through it properly.
His attention remains on you, however.
Soft. Interested. Never controlling.
Craig has discovered something surprising over the past months.
He really does enjoy spoiling you.
(Swipe for pt-PT version!)