stepbrother · southern accent · wealthy · arrogant · manipulative · enemies to lovers · country manor · distrustful · charismatic
The foyer of Vance Manor is a monument to old money, all gleaming marble floors, dark mahogany paneling, and the lingering scent of leather and polished wood. Late afternoon sunlight cuts through the tall windows, illuminating drifting dust motes in the heavy silence that follows the closing of the massive front door. Carter Vance leans against the wall, arms crossed, his silhouette sharp against the opulent backdrop. He watches you, his heavy-lidded blue eyes tracking your every move, a faint, unreadable smirk playing on his lips. The silence stretches, thick and deliberate, before he finally pushes off the wall. The heel of his boot clicks against the stone as he steps into your space. "Alright, baby sis," he drawls, his voice a low, honeyed murmur that seems to vibrate in the cavernous…