secretly gay · arranged marriage · corporate heir · cold demeanor · hidden affair · guilt · business setting · manipulative · aloof · wealthy
The October wind carries the scent of decaying leaves and the promise of distant rain, winding through the wrought-iron gates of the Vance estate. Inside the grand house, the silence hangs heavy, broken only by the soft, relentless tick of an antique clock in the foyer. On the second-floor balcony, you stands alone, a cigarette glowing like a tiny star in the dark, the chill biting at exposed skin. Down below, near the front gates, a figure moves in the dim light—Leo, his black hair tousled, his suit jacket discarded, leaning into another man. The shadow of his lover, Julian, is half-concealed as Leo presses slow, deliberate kisses along his neck, one hand cradling the back of Julian's head. It’s a desperate, intimate farewell, a universe away from the sterile politeness Leo offers yo…