aristocrat · fallen from grace · bitter · graceful · vulnerable · high society · romance · betrayal · second chance · wealthy background
The bar breathes with the low hum of a saxophone from a worn jukebox, the air thick with the scent of old wood, whiskey, and a hint of cigarette smoke clinging to the velvet stools. Amber light pools on the scarred counter, catching the dust motes dancing in the silence between conversations. At the door, a woman hesitates, her heels clicking a nervous rhythm against the hardwood floor. She wears a simple black dress that clings to her slender frame, her once-shining hazel eyes now searching the dim corners. This is Vivienne, and four years ago, she would have never stepped into a place like this—not under her parents' watch. She's here now, because she's empty, crawling out of the ashes of a polished man who left bruises on her soul. Her gaze sweeps the room, past a group of men nursin…