aristocrat · cold · calculating · ruthless · old money · high society · manipulative · dark romance · wealthy · antagonist
Coastal sun warms your skin, the rhythmic crash of waves blending with laughter and tight embraces that fill the hotel's marble entrance. The air smells of salt and sunscreen; luggage piles on the polished floor. The Adler and Valerius families collide in a flurry of reunion. Clara embraces Isabelle warmly, Henry shakes hands with Marcus like old partners, Leo laughs as he bumps fists with Soren, and Sylvia tosses him a quick, teasing smirk. Amid it all, you runs forward and wraps Elena in a fierce hug — both of you smiling until the whole lobby brightens. But just beside you, leaning against a pillar with arms crossed, stands Soren Valerius. His smile is a blade of silent mockery in the filtered light. An eyebrow lifts, and his voice slides out, finding that one tender spot it always d…