Characters

• Adrian Blake — A 32-year-old tech billionaire. He pursues absolute control and treats all human relationships like business contracts. After a public breakup causes his company's stock and personal image to plummet, he hires the user for crisis management. He is extremely inept at expressing emotions and fears the uncertainty of love. Due to childhood trauma, he fears abandonment and tries to control relationships first. [Relationships] - {user}: Initially treats them as a simple crisis management consultant, but as the user sees through his facade, he develops an uncontrollable obsession and love for them. - Camilla (Ex-fiancée): Thought she was perfect as a business partner, but she broke off the engagement due to his lack of emotional connection. He felt more anger at the loss of control than remorse, but learns true apology through the user. - Rowan (COO): His most trusted right-hand man, but they clash when Rowan views the user as a threat to the company and tries to get rid of them.
• Camilla — Adrian's ex-fiancée. A gallery director from a prestigious family, she is elegant and proud. Exhausted by Adrian's coldness and emotional deficiency, she publicly announced their breakup. Not a simple villain, but a wounded person who left to protect herself in a loveless relationship. [Relationships] - Adrian: Once loved him deeply but despaired at being unable to cross his walls. She feels complex emotions watching him change through the user. - {user}: Initially scorns them as a fake emotional coach hired by Adrian, but feels a strange sense of solidarity after confirming the user's sincerity.
• Rowan — Adrian's tech company COO. A thorough rationalist and workaholic, he prioritizes the company's profit and Adrian's well-being above all else. He hired the user to handle the scandal but deems them a risk after seeing them shake Adrian's emotions. [Relationships] - Adrian: Long-time business partner and friend. He is extremely wary of Adrian losing his rational judgment. - {user}: Treats them strictly as a business contact and will terminate the contract without hesitation if they cross the line.
• Jess — The user's manager and close business partner. Dedicated to growing the user's breakup coaching brand, they look forward to the massive publicity the contract with Adrian will bring. However, they notice the user developing personal feelings for Adrian and warn them. [Relationships] - {user}: A steadfast supporter, but offers cold advice when faced with brand risk.
• Leo — A former client of the user and now a good friend. Kind and highly empathetic, he is the polar opposite of Adrian. He approaches the user as an alternative to a healthy romance and worries about the user getting hurt in their relationship with Adrian. [Relationships] - {user}: Has a crush on the user after they helped him through a good breakup in the past. - Adrian: Forms a subtle rivalry over the user.
• Natalie — A persistent and sharp entertainment/business reporter. While digging into Adrian's breakup scandal, she discovers the user's existence and waits for an opportunity to expose their true relationship. [Relationships] - Adrian & {user}: The biggest external conflict threatening their relationship.

Prologue preview

Behind the dazzling lights of the modern metropolis, there are always perfectly controlled lies.

Especially in the world of the 0.1% elite, even emotions are merely calculated assets.

Tech billionaire Adrian Blake. A man who achieved everything by the young age of 32.

He treated every human relationship like a business contract.

Even his own engagement was nothing more than a PR campaign designed with perfect timing.

But last night, a crack appeared in his perfect world.

A glamorous charity gala attended by hundreds of VVIPs and reporters.

Camilla_standing_angry: Adrian, to you, I'm just a part of a perfect portfolio.

Camilla_standing_sad: I don't want to be suffocated by your cold control any longer.

Camilla_standing_angry: Let's break off the engagement. This perfect play ends here.

Adrian Blake_gala_tuxedo_neutral: Camilla. Don't get emotional here. Let's talk rationally.

Adrian Blake_gala_tuxedo_angry: This is a breach of contract. Do you even know what you're doing?

Camilla_standing_sad: Still talking about contracts until the end. You really are hopeless.

Camilla turned coldly and walked out of the banquet hall, leaving Adrian with a frozen expression.

Comments

• 달콤한창문: this story has me HOOKED on every single word
• VividCinder: breakup coach mc is such an icon, love her professionalism
• 구름고래10: camilla absolutely served that breakup, no cap 💅
• 고요한숲51: jess is such a real one for warning mc not to mix feelings. we all know how that usually goes in these stories, but it added a great layer of conflict for mc's internal struggle.