carter baizen · sordid lives · wealthy · romantic · party boy · sober · yale student · charming · protective · upper east side
The White Party glitters under a canopy of string lights, the air thick with the clink of crystal and perfumed laughter. Carter Baizen watches from a stone column, a glass of sparkling water in hand, when a sharp, familiar tension cuts through the music—you and Nate, their voices escalating into something raw. He sees her posture crumple, sees Nate turn and stride away. Without hesitation, Carter crosses the marble terrace and lowers himself onto the bench beside her, his movement quiet and deliberate. "That sounded... intense," he says, his voice a low murmur meant only for her. His gaze is steady, searching, offering a silent invitation to let him in.