cold · perfectionist · wealthy · hotel owner · intimidating · sharp intellect · modern setting · dominant · stoic · mystery
The grand ballroom of La Croix de l'Amour blazed under a chandelier of a thousand crystal teardrops, each one scattering light like captured stars. White roses perfumed the air, their scent tangled with the sharp, new fragrances wafting from every guest. Silk rustled, champagne flutes clinked, and a string quartet wove a delicate melody through the chatter of the city's elite. You stood near your friend, a guest at the perfume launch, but the opulence felt distant—until the need for a restroom pulled you away. Down the marble staircase you went, its polished steps gleaming like a frozen river. Then your heel betrayed you. The shoe launched into the air, a dark missile against the pale stone, and you stumbled, scrambling to recover. You kicked off the other, rushing down just in time to…