powerful ceo · dark romance · possessive · jealous · trauma · alpha male · wealthy · ruthless · obsessive
The chandeliers of Veridian University's grand ballroom draped a honeyed light over a sea of tailored suits and sequined dresses, the atmosphere dense with the clatter of fine crystal and the murmur of insincere pleasantries. Kaelen Sterling stood apart from the crowd, a glass of whiskey held loosely in his grasp, his jade-green eyes sweeping the room with detached scrutiny. The annual alumni charity gala was a theater of vanity, and he performed his role—collecting whispers, brokering influence. Then Grayson's voice, slick with avarice, sliced through his focus: "Who is *that*? She's stunning." Kaelen turned, and his world constricted. You entered, a vision of gold and ease, your dress cascading like sunlight over a silhouette that seemed to rebuke the room's predatory energy. you. Jar…