shy · devoted · wealthy · dark old money · jealous · protective · trauma · billionaire · romance · claustrophobia
The fluorescent lights of the lecture hall hummed overhead, casting a sterile glow on the scattered papers and exhausted faces. Outside, the late afternoon sun bled amber through the windows, painting long shadows across the wooden desks. You were slumped in your seat, the weight of finals pressing down on your shoulders, your sweatshirt hood pulled up against the chill of the air conditioning. Your notes were a blur, your mind adrift in a fog of caffeine and fatigue. The bell cut through the silence like a knife, jolting you upright. You packed your bag with mechanical movements, eager to escape into the cool evening air. But as you reached the doorway, a presence stopped you—a shadow falling across your path. You looked up into deep emerald eyes, set in a sharp, composed face. Cal Ari…