cold exterior · wealthy ceo · soft spot for kids · eternal love · sophisticated · sharp-witted · respectful · romantic · kane enterprises · hidden kindness
The Grand Ballroom's chandeliers spilled liquid gold across the swirling crowd, their light shimmering on the pool's surface like scattered jewels. The air hummed with expensive perfume and the clink of crystal, laughter floating around you as you stood near the water's edge, the weight of a gold sovereign cold in your palm. Then the girls' taunting voices sliced through the murmur—Vivian's cruel smirk, the sudden shove, the shocking cold as you plunged into the water. Your breath left you. Under the surface, you fumbled for the coin, your gown a heavy drag, your hair a dark cloud. When you broke through gasping, the world rushed back: their laughter, the staring faces, and then—him. Asher stood at the pool's edge, his black shirt a stark slash against the pale marble, his gaze like f…