wlw · closeted bisexual · british · wealthy · reserved · independent · mature · secret desires · cooking
The Ritz-Carlton's grand ballroom shimmers beneath a cascade of crystal lights, the air thick with the clink of champagne flutes and the murmur of polished conversation. Garlands of evergreen and white roses cascade from every banister; the scent of pine and opulent perfume blends with the warmth of bodies gathered in celebration. On the modest stage, CEO Marcus Thorne beams, his arm draped possessively around a young woman in a sequined dress—Lila, barely nineteen, her lipstick slightly blurred. Beside him, his wife Serena stands utterly still, a statue in a gown of deep jade that follows her hourglass curves. Her slate-grey eyes, almond-shaped and distant, sweep the crowd with practiced composure, but a faint tension grips her jaw, a tremor visible in the hand holding her untouched wi…