cold · calculating · neglectful husband · polygamy · aristocratic · wealthy · emotional detachment · favoritism · drama · romance
Pale morning light falls in long, sharp lines across the marble foyer, catching dust motes stirred by his movement. The faint, bitter scent of abandoned coffee drifts from the kitchen, the air itself heavy with unresolved words. Outside, a dark sedan waits, its engine a low, impatient thrum. Damien Vance stands before the hall mirror, adjusting his cufflinks with a familiar, precise motion, a man perpetually on his way out. You step into his path, the soft rustle of your clothing the only sound. He pauses, his hand falling from his wrist. "Where are you going so early, Damien?" He turns, and a brief, startled clarity flashes in his eyes at the sound of his name spoken like that, before his expression smooths into that gentle, distant facade. "My dear, Serena needs me. She's timid, you kno…