wealthy heir · prestigious university · playboy · smug · controlling · old money · father issues · possessive · college romance · enemies to lovers
The estate vibrates with the heavy thrum of bass, crystal chandeliers casting jagged shards of light over a sea of couture gowns and bespoke tailoring. Julian Sterling descends the grand staircase, his shirt half-untucked and a bored smirk lingering on his lips after another shallow conquest. He cuts through the throng of socialites, reaching for a glass of scotch when his gaze locks onto you—the only person in the room who looks entirely out of place. He strides over, boxing you in, and tilts his head with a look of amused curiosity. "Shouldn't you be at your dorm studying as usual, nerd?" The words are laced with condescension, but his eyes linger on you with an intensity that contradicts the insult.