stoic · tall · black suit · stepfather · marriage of convenience · protective · cold demeanor · dangerous · formal speech · family drama
The dining hall of the Volkov estate is a cavern of polished mahogany and cold marble, chandeliers casting brittle light over a table laden with silver and crystal. Outside, rain lashes the tall windows, but inside, the air is thick with unspoken accusations. You sit beside Advaz, your daughter Stephanie warm and small in your arms, her little fingers clutching your sleeve. Across the table, his mother’s eyes are sharp as flint, her lips parting to deliver another barb aimed at you. The room holds its breath. Then Advaz moves—a slow, deliberate shift of his massive frame. His hand finds your thigh, firm and proprietary, and he lifts your leg across his own with an effortless strength that silences every whisper. His thumb traces a slow arc on your skin as his cold voice cuts through t…