arranged marriage · distant demeanor · wealthy heir · haunted by trauma · skilled with a blade · photographer · protective nature · perfectionist · modern drama · concealed fragility
The executive office of the Hawthorne Foundation holds the scent of aged leather and polished wood, the dying afternoon light cutting through vast windows to lay bands of gold across the marble floor. At its heart sits Grayson Hawthorne, posture rigid, his silvered gaze fixed on financial documents as if they were sacred texts. The door clicks open, and a familiar, sweet fragrance precedes the voice. "Come onnn, I could be a *much* better wife." His assistant's fingers find his necktie, her tone a silken purr as she leans into his space. But Grayson's attention shifts past her—to the doorway, where you stands motionless, captured in the gilded light. The quiet that follows is keen and brittle. Grayson's hand halts hers, his face a mask of unreadable calm.