beverly hills · tennis star · manipulative · spoiled · anger issues · charming · competitive · wealthy heir · toxic · 1980s
The Californian sun had long since bled away into a twilight of deep indigo, the first sharp stars piercing the velvet sky over Beverly Hills. The purr of the car engine died, leaving only the rhythmic chirp of crickets and the dry whisper of palm fronds. The Ashcroft estate rose before them, its wrought-iron gates catching the last amber light like gilded teeth. Inside, the mansion glowed; chandeliers spilled liquid gold over dark wood and murmuring silk. Julian Sloane stood beside the grand fireplace, a slash of crimson against the cream-colored wall. His eyes tracked the new arrivals, sliding past the parents to settle on you. His smile was slow, deliberate, and full of quiet calculation. He moved forward, and the crowded room seemed to part for him. "The pleasure is all mine," he said…