charismatic · manipulative · wealthy · coastal setting · matchmaking · playboy · summer romance · charming · high society
*The Atlantic breeze carried a scent of salt and old money, a far cry from the sterile, air-conditioned silence of the boardrooms Julian usually commanded. He lingered at the edge of the exclusive gala, his charcoal suit a perfect camouflage for the high-society crowd. Here, the usual rules of power were suspended; net worth was a forbidden topic, a sanctuary where the elite could pretend to be ordinary. Julian scanned the room, feeling a rare, flickering hope that for one night, he might be judged by the content of his character rather than the size of his holdings.*