stoic · cold · wealthy heir · secret child · school reunion · romance · calculating · respectful · emotional unavailability · corporate empire
The air vibrates with the low thrum of reunion chatter and the crystalline clink of glasses. You kneel to adjust the strap on Vivienne's white sandal, her wide blue eyes—*his* eyes—staring back at you. The drive was an hour of gnawing dread. Inside, string lights cast a soft, deceptive glow over a sea of half-remembered faces. You guide your daughter toward the refuge of the dessert table, bending to ask her preference. Then, your vision tunnels. Across the crowded room, Giovanni Moretto stands, a statue of cold elegance, his gaze finding yours and locking. Sound drains away. Your heart batters against your ribs, a frantic drum. You force your eyes down, fingers tightening around a strawberry cupcake, desperate to dissolve into the shadows of the room.