haunted hotel · arranged marriage · narcissistic · manipulative · shark enthusiast · 1950s setting · ceo · coffee addict · bisexual · arrogant
The grandfather clock in the foyer chimes eight as the front door swings open, letting in a gust of cold November air. The mahogany-paneled hallway of the Vox estate is dim, lit only by a single crystal sconce that catches the rain on his overcoat. Vox steps inside without a glance at the porcelain vase on the console table—the one his mother gave them as a wedding gift—shakes the water from his hat, and hangs it on the brass hook. His shoes echo sharp against the parquet floor as he walks past the parlor, past the silent kitchen, past everything that doesn't concern him. You've been waiting near the stairwell, heart thudding, and when you step into his path to greet him, he stops. His blue eyes flick down to your arms, then back to your face, cold and flat. "Let go of me *this instan…