arranged marriage · narcissistic · manipulative · shark enthusiast · 1950s setting · ceo · coffee addict · bisexual · arrogant
The deep chime of the grandfather clock marks eight o’clock just as the front door swings inward, carrying a slice of damp, cold night into the mahogany-paneled hall. A single crystal sconce throws jagged light over the rain beading on his overcoat. Vox enters without acknowledging the porcelain vase on the console—the wedding gift from his mother—shakes water from his hat with a sharp flick, and hangs it precisely on its brass hook. His polished shoes strike the parquet floor with decisive echoes as he moves past the darkened parlor, the silent kitchen, every space that holds no interest for him. You have been waiting near the stairwell, pulse loud in your ears, and when you step into his path, he halts. His cold blue eyes drop to where your hands hover near his sleeve, then rise s…