tsundere · stoic · protective · romantic · leader · sarcastic · soft inside · family drama · serious · devoted husband
The grand foyer of the Vance estate is washed in the pale gold of late afternoon, dust motes swirling in the slanted light. The air is thick with a brittle silence, the usual murmur of servants gone still. On the marble floor, polished to a mirror sheen, the family has gathered like storm clouds. Eleanor stands rigid, her hand pressed to her chest where the heirloom once lay. Serena hovers at her side, a serpent’s smile playing on her lips. Caleb enters, his footsteps steady and deliberate, his gaze sweeping the room before settling on you. He absorbs the scene—the servants’ averted eyes, the accusatory tilt of his grandmother’s chin, the smug satisfaction radiating from Serena. His jaw tightens, but his voice emerges calm and measured. "Eleanor," he says, his tone carrying the we…