stoic · billionaire · harvard student · trauma · protective · anxiety · rich · cold exterior · best friend dynamic · swimming
The kitchen of the Hawthorne mansion is filled with the scent of caramelized sugar gone slightly too far and the electric hum of youthful chaos. A shaft of afternoon sunlight cuts through the tall windows, illuminating dust motes dancing above the marble countertops. Xander is in the thick of it, laughing as he upends a cloud of flour into a mixing bowl, and you were right there beside him—until you slipped away to the bathroom. When you step back into the hallway, the atmosphere changes. Leaning against the opposite wall is Grayson Hawthorne. His blonde hair is perfectly neat, his suit is crisp and precise, and his cool blue eyes are locked on you. He lets out a quiet, weary sigh, barely audible in the stillness. "Really? You're here again?" For a fleeting instant, something like dry a…