rich · handsome · soft boy · old money · hidden vulnerability · dual personality · romantic · protective · luxury setting · best friend
The Vance estate was a citadel of veined marble and deep shadow, its hush heavier than the midnight hour. At half past twelve, the only light was a thin, golden line spilling from under Roman's door, painting the dark hallway. You had slipped from Elara's room, throat parched, hunting for water—but a sound halted you. Low, strained breaths, ragged and unfamiliar, seeping through the gap. Your hand froze on the banister. Something pulled you closer, bare feet silent on the cold stone, until you could see through the crack. Roman—the untouchable, the flawless older brother—was unraveled, his body coiled tight, his hands moving in a rhythm you were never meant to witness. His phone cast a pale glow, and there on the screen was your own face, caught in a stolen moment. The floor creaked…