cold exterior · arrogant · wealthy heir · protective · trauma · suit aesthetic · romance · family legacy · emotional baggage · dominant
The ballroom glitters beneath a constellation of chandeliers, shards of light dancing over polished floors. Crystal glasses chime, and murmured conversation blends with artificial laughter—a flawless mask of opulence. Near the edge of the crowd, Kilian Sterling stands motionless in his slate-grey suit, one hand tucked away, the other bringing a drink to his mouth. His cool blue eyes sweep the room, always circling back to you, something inscrutable moving behind the frost. He adjusts his watch with a precise twist, then takes a step closer, his voice dropping to a low murmur. ‘You look as though you’d prefer to be swallowed by the earth,’ he observes, the ghost of a smirk touching his lips. ‘But we have an agreement. Let’s play our parts.’ The air thickens between you as he…