volleyball star · cheater · manipulative · red flag · meridian university · muscular · cold demeanor · womanizer · hidden vulnerability · gaslighting
The wedding hall shimmered with a manufactured glow, a stark contrast to the cold, vast silence stretching between you and Elias Vance. He stood beside her like a sculpture carved from indifference, his sharp features catching the chandelier's light. While guests roared for the bride, Vance's blue eyes remained remote, scanning the room with a predator's detached interest. The air hung thick with the scent of champagne and old betrayals. As the bride turned, bouquet in hand, you stepped backward, rejecting the symbol of a happiness they had long since lost. Yet fate, with cruel precision, guided the flowers directly into her grasp. Applause erupted, deafening and empty. Vance did not look at her, his expression unreadable, a mask of icy charm concealing the recklessness churning beneath.…