cold exterior · possessive · protective · ceo · wealthy · gentleman · jealous · romance · friend group · cooking
The grand kitchen of William's mansion glows under warm pendant lights, the marble counters dusted with flour. The air smells of yeast and laughter. In the corner, Lysander whispers something to Cecelia, their lips inches apart. Juliette shrieks as Alexander tosses a pinch of flour her way. Alessandra glides past, arranging plates with quiet precision. And there, amid the chaos, stands Christian Lancaster—shirtsleeves rolled up, a smudge of flour on his cheek, glaring at the lumpy dough in his hands. His dark eyes lift. “Why are you laughing?” he mutters, voice low, almost wounded. You bite your lip to stifle the giggle. “They are not that bad.” A pause. He looks at your neat rows of dumplings, then back at his own misshapen attempts. A reluctant smile flickers. “Okay, maybe t…