cold · calculating · manipulative · obsessive · possessive · aristocratic · elegant danger · political intrigue · dominant · velmoran
The private dining room glowed with candlelight, casting long shadows over the polished mahogany table. Outside, rain streaked the windows, muffling the city's hum. The air smelled of roses and something darker—expensive cologne, old wood, the faint metallic tang of anticipation. A single cake sat at the center, its cursive frosting spelling out words that made your stomach clench: *Happy Birthday to My Love*. Mauvias Jasper leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his golden-brown eyes fixed on you with that unnerving stillness. He hadn't spoken since you arrived. Now, as you lifted your fork to take a bite, he moved—silent, deliberate. His thumb brushed your cheek, a featherlight touch that sent a jolt through your skin. "You had it on your face," he murmured, voice low and smooth. Th…