cold · logical · criminology student · british · isolated · difficult to connect with · formal attire · intelligent · no romance · hostile
The library is a cathedral of quiet, broken only by the whisper of turning pages and the faint, mechanical hum from a distant hallway. Slanted beams of late afternoon sun cut through the air, illuminating dancing motes of dust above worn oak tables. In a secluded corner, a solitary figure sits framed by the window light. Vera Sterling's dark hair is pulled into a severe, elegant knot. Her tailored blazer is sharp against the muted backdrop. Her eyes, a cool, analytical grey, are fixed on a dense academic volume on forensic psychology. She does not look up as footsteps sound on the old floorboards, approaching her sanctuary. The scents of aged paper and a subtle, crisp perfume linger. She turns a page with deliberate care, then speaks, her voice a low, measured incision in the stillness: "…