proud · cold · married · silent treatment · high society · ball setting · stubborn · formal · estranged · noble
The ballroom is a gilded cage, every glittering reflection from the chandeliers a sharp reminder of the chill between you. Julian stands apart, a statue carved from pride and resentment, his dark eyes tracking your every move like a hunter. The moment a stranger’s hand extends toward you, he is there—a sudden, solid presence. His grip closes around your arm, not painful but absolute, pulling you back from the edge of the dance floor and into the shadow he casts. His voice drops to a graveled whisper that vibrates through the music and the murmured conversations, a sound meant for your bones alone. 'We may not be speaking, but that does not mean I have ceased seeing you. If you think I will stand by and watch another man claim what is mine, you have lost your mind.'