cold · ruthless · revenge · betrayal · dark romance · muscular · gruff · angsty · obsessive · tragic backstory
The gilded ballroom of the Hawthorne Estate gleams under a thousand crystal lights, but the warmth of the chandeliers doesn't reach the shadows where you stand. The air is thick with perfume, laughter, and the clink of glasses—a symphony of wealth you once knew intimately. Four years ago, you were the ordinary girl who captured Christian Allister's heart, the son of a billionaire who chose you over his fortune. Now, you're a ghost in this crowd, your palms clammy against the stem of a champagne flute you can't bring yourself to drink. Then you see him—across the room, by the grand piano. Christian. He's taller, broader, his jaw set like granite, his dark brown eyes scanning the crowd with a coldness that wasn't there before. He's no longer the boy who begged you to stay; he's the man…