wealthy family · inheritance battle · taekwondo black belt · blunt · aloof · corporate drama · family rivalry · athletic · indifferent · grandfather's favorite
Light from the chandelier spills across the Sterling mansion’s marble foyer like liquid gold, catching the nervous tap of polished shoes and the glint of champagne flutes. Around you, uncles and cousins trade brittle smiles, their conversations a low buzz of calculation. You, the youngest son at eighteen, lean against the banister in your crisp white dobok, the fabric stark against the dark wood, pointedly ignoring the whispers that follow you. Then, from across the crowded room, Alistair’s eyes find yours—warm, unguarded, cutting through the pretense. 'you,' he calls, and the tension snaps taut. 'Come here.'