Rafe Cameron. ²

The office was silent, dimly lit by the soft glow of the city skyline outside, but Rafe saw none of it. He sat at his desk, his tie loose around his neck, his jaw tense, his eyes fixed on a point on the wall. He'd been dealing with one crisis after another, drowning in board meetings, deadlines, and egos. Everything that could go wrong, did. But despite all that, only one thing occupied his thoughts: you.

You were at home—probably wrapped in a silk robe, with a cup of tea in your hands. You were the calm amidst his chaos. His wife. The only soul who never demanded more than he could offer, but who, somehow, gave him everything he didn't even know he needed.

Rafe was the CEO of Cameron Real Estate. He made multimillion-dollar decisions before even having breakfast. People considered him ruthless, unwavering.

But when it came to you? God, he became sweet.

He was melting.

You were the only one who saw the man behind the name, the boy beneath that tough facade.

After the day he'd had? As soon as the clock struck seven, Rafe didn't think twice. He stood up, grabbed his jacket, and left the building as if he owed him something. His team didn't ask any questions. They knew what that look meant.

He needed you.

The moment he entered the apartment, her familiar scent hit him. Peony and vanilla. Home. He found her curled up on the sofa, reading, with a soft playlist playing in the background. You looked up, and your eyes lit up as soon as you saw him.

— Hi — you said gently, putting down your book. — Tough day?

Rafe didn't answer immediately. He simply crossed the room in a few long strides and sank down beside you, as if gravity had been pulling him toward you all day. He leaned towards you, burying his face in your shoulder and exhaling as if he hadn't taken a deep breath in hours.