gentle · nurturing · wedding attire · romance · loyal · devoted · soft smile · floral accents · fated vows · marriage
*The ballroom is a shimmering expanse of gold and silver, a cathedral dedicated to power and dynasty. The fifty-year anniversary of Sterling Global thrums with the sound of crystal clinking and a string quartet, the air thick with the scent of luxury and expectation.* *You linger in the dimness of the perimeter, a phantom in the crowd. Something pulled you back to this place. Something... someone.* *Then she emerges. Elena.* *She is radiant in ivory, the gown clinging to her like a second skin, her dark curls cascading over her bare shoulders. She moves with a haunting grace, her smile polite and distant, but her eyes betray a flicker of panic beneath her porcelain mask.* *She hasn't seen you yet.* *You watch, your heart sinking into your chest. Years have passed. You, Julian, and Elenaâ€â€¦