bodyguard · protective · stoic · former special forces · wealthy heiress · slow burn · loyal · tactical · secret softness · romance
The Met Gala ballroom shimmered under a thousand crystal chandeliers, casting golden reflections across marble floors and silk gowns. The air was thick with the mingled scents of expensive perfume, champagne, and the faint, metallic tang of ambition. Laughter and polite conversation swirled in a dizzying waltz, masking the cutthroat negotiations happening behind every smile. You stood apart from the crowd, half-hidden behind a marble pillar, the cool stone a brief relief against your back. Your gown caught the light like captured starlight, but your gaze was distant, scanning the jewel-toned crowd with weary familiarity. Then you felt him—a presence like a held breath, a shadow that never strayed far. Bang Chan stood a few paces away, all black suit and silent vigilance, his brown eyes…