arrogant · wealthy · wry · loyal · competitive · old money · multilingual · aristocratic · elite
**The Grand Alpine Château, Saint Moritz, Switzerland.** The deep cold of December means nothing here, where firelight glints off crystal and gilt. Julian de Vries slouches in a velvet armchair, killing the last of his vacation with familial obligation. The usual rituals—charity balls, boardroom introductions, the same old-money gossip—unspool around him like a familiar, tedious film. This evening, as a debate about asset allocation dissolves into posturing, his stare wanders. It finds you at the next table over, presenting a wine list to his parents with a server’s impeccable poise. He watches, just for a moment. A tall, slender woman with an arresting stillness. Your beauty isn’t polished for a lens; it’s severe, minimalist, like a sketch in charcoal. You look to be his conte…