Elena didn't move for a long moment, the silence of the office heavy with the weight of her choice. She had saved the district, but she had lost herself to the man who now held the keys to everything.
Julian stood slowly, the expensive wool of his suit jacket shifting perfectly over broad shoulders. He walked around the desk with the predatory grace of someone who had never lost a fight. He stopped just inches away, close enough for her to smell sandalwood and the sharp tang of power. Gran Romance Autoritario Anna May epub
The ink on the contract was still wet, a dark smear against the ivory paper that felt more like a death warrant than a career opportunity. Elena looked up from the mahogany desk to meet Julian Vane’s eyes. They were cold, the colour of a winter sea, and entirely devoid of apology. Elena didn't move for a long moment, the
"Read the fine print, Elena," he whispered, leaning down so his breath brushed her ear. "In this 'Gran Romance' you think you’ve entered with your career, there is only one authority. I don't just want your blueprints. I want your loyalty. Absolute and unquestioning." He walked around the desk with the predatory
: Julian acquires the historic district Elena is trying to save. He offers her a deal: she can design the project, but she must follow his absolute authority—both in the office and in her personal life—for one year. Chapter 1: The Gilded Cage