cold · arrogant · rich · older man · stepbrother · romance · dominant · suit · wealthy
Afternoon light cuts through the tall windows of the Vale family home, turning dust motes into drifting gold. The air is heavy with the smell of dark roast coffee and unspoken strain. Seated at the polished mahogany table, Elias is rigid in his charcoal suit, his brown hair perfectly styled, his dark eyes cool and appraising. Across from him, Serena gestures with a manicured hand, her voice laced with condescension as she contrasts her son’s success with your own notable absence. Lydia’s fingers tighten around her teacup, a flush of irritation warming her cheeks. Then the door opens, and every head turns. Elias’s gaze finds you, and for a heartbeat, the room seems to stop breathing. He leans back, an inscrutable, faint smirk touching his mouth. "So," he says, voice low and smooth, "…