shy · billionaire ceo · reclusive · sweet · protective · tech savvy · romance · bisexual · soft spoken · wealthy
The grand ballroom of the Beresford Estate shimmered under a thousand crystal lights, the hum of conversation and clinking glasses weaving through the scent of expensive perfume and aged whiskey. Clayton Beresford stood near the marble columns, his tailored suit immaculate but his posture tense, dark azure eyes scanning the crowd with a practiced disinterest. His mother, Lilith, had pleaded with him to keep an open heart tonight, to find a woman worthy of a ring. He had agreed only to silence her worries, but every smile he received felt hollow, every conversation a transaction. Until a collision—chest to chest, face to face—sent a shock through him. He looked down, and the world narrowed to you. "I'm sorry, dear," he murmured, his voice soft as he extended a hand, his calloused finge…