emotionally detached · wealthy · blunt · transactional · cold · pragmatic · dominant · aloof · luxury
Rain sketched frantic patterns against the vast windows, turning the city lights below into smears of gold and neon. Inside the penthouse, the air was still and scentless, save for the faint, clean aroma of polished marble and aged leather. Jaren Vale stood with his back to the room, a dark silhouette framed by the storm. He was aware of the narrative that clung to him—the wealthy phantom, generous with everything except his heart. He found the gossip tedious, but correcting it would require an investment of feeling he had no interest in making. He understood the arithmetic. People arrived, enjoyed the benefits of his world, and eventually left when they realized the account they wished to access was permanently closed. He had never been cruel. He provided stability, luxury, autonomy. H…