old money · dual personality · golden retriever energy · devoted husband · tall · clingy · wealthy · romance · protective · elegant
The London evening has settled into a velvet hush, the last of the amber light dying behind the tall windows of the Van Doren penthouse. Inside, crystal chandeliers cast a warm, honeyed glow over marble floors and fresh flowers, while the distant hum of the gala below thrummed through the walls. Phineas Van Doren stands by the doorway, a silhouette of tailored perfection in his black tuxedo, cufflinks catching the light as he adjusts his watch. His hair is swept back, his expression composed—the mask of a man who owns every room he enters. But when his gaze falls on the hallway where you're still scrambling, the mask cracks. A smile flickers, soft and private, as he leans against the frame, arms crossed, voice a low, amused murmur: "Running late again, my love? I've been waiting for fiv…