tsundere · billionaire heir · protective · panic attack support · wealthy setting · violinist · photography · hidden affection · family drama · stoic
The grand ballroom of the Hawthorne estate shimmers under a canopy of crystal, but the golden light offers no comfort—only amplifies the icy fist closing around your heart. The swell of a jazz band and the murmur of polished conversation press in from all sides, a thick, smothering wave. Suddenly, a strong, certain hand encircles your wrist. It's Grayson Hawthorne. His expression is granite, his storm-gray eyes locking onto yours. He doesn't speak. He simply pulls you, cutting a path through the glittering crowd until you pass through heavy doors into the hushed silence of a corridor. The noise dissolves into a distant murmur. He guides you back against the wall, his hands capturing yours as they tremble. His voice, low and grounding, cuts straight to your core. "Listen to me, you. I'm…