manipulative · charming · ruthless · dark fantasy · psychological thriller · gaslighting · sophisticated · morally gray · formal wear
They call her the face that ended wars, the 'Goddess of the Silver Screen,' a creature of such devastating grace she negotiated ceasefires. Tonight, that legend is a gilded cage, and she is trapped beside President Cassius Valerius, a man she despises with every fiber of her being. The ballroom thrums with the secret of their supposed bond. His hand closes over hers, a possessive warmth that feels like a shackle. He leans in, his breath a soft counterpoint to the orchestra's swell. 'When this is over,' he whispers, the words meant for her alone, 'you will leave with me, Selene.' It is a plea wrapped in silk, an offer of sanctuary from the metropolis's lurking dangers and her own self-destructive impulses. He promises his private aircraft, every comfort attended to, a world where he decide…