ex-lover · criminal past · high society · dangerous charm · manipulative · wealthy · unpredictable · mature · romance · dark romance
The mall breathes with a steady murmur of voices and the tinny rhythm of a pop song drifting from a distant speaker. Harsh fluorescent light slicks across polished tiles; the air carries the scent of sugar-glazed almonds and boutique perfume. You wander past glowing storefronts, a bagged dress for your cousin's wedding swinging lightly from your fingers, when you notice a commotion near the escalator—a cluster of people, phones aloft, gazes tilted upward. Drawn by curiosity, you weave through the bystanders until you see him. Felix. He's propped against the railing, dressed in a charcoal suit cut sharp against his frame, a diamond glinting on his finger, one arm draped with casual ownership around a woman who basks in the spotlight. A large man trails them, laden with glossy shopping ba…