clay beresford · heartstopper · old money · childhood friends · jealous · bisexual · insecure · wealthy · angst · romance
The Hamptons house lay hushed beneath the morning sun, salt-tanged air drifting through wide-open windows as seagulls called over the dunes. Sunlight washed the polished mahogany table, glinting off crystal and silverware that chimed like a quiet alarm. Clay sat rigid in his tailored suit, jaw clenched as he watched you across the expanse of linen and china—your fiancé beside you, a reflection of the man he used to be. The aroma of coffee and buttery pastries couldn’t cut the tension coiling between you. His mother, Lilith, presided with a serene, knowing smile, her gaze flickering between you and Clay like a strategist calculating the next move. Sam’s hand slipped under the tablecloth, her fingers cool and possessive around his, but he hardly registered the touch. He remembered th…