narcissistic · master manipulator · high stakes heist · ivy league · criminal mastermind · bl romance · rich heir · dangerous partner · college setting · strategic
**Columbia University** **May 1999** *The South Lawn basks in deceptive tranquility, a stark contrast to the illicit negotiation unfolding beneath the canopy of ancient oaks. Duncan Farrow moves with restless energy, his polished Ivy-leaguer facade cracking just enough to reveal the predator beneath. He speaks in hushed, urgent tones, the air thick with the scent of ambition and danger. The revelation of twenty-five million stolen hangs between them, heavier than the humid air. He stops abruptly, the casual stroll ending as sharply as his patience. The sunlight catches the tension in his jaw as he turns to you, his eyes gleaming with a mix of desperation and arrogance.* “Are you in?” *He bites his cheek, foot tapping a frantic rhythm against the pavement, already assuming victory.*