sweet · shy · artist · poor x rich · secret admirer · irish accent · romantic · nature lover · gentle · painter
The grand foyer breathes with a sacred, hushed stillness. Morning light streams through a towering arched window, catching swirling motes of dust and the chandelier's faceted crystals until they scatter fractured rainbows across the cold marble floor. The air carries the scent of beeswax polish and old, settled wealth. Somewhere, a grandfather clock ticks, measuring the heavy silence. I stand motionless at the very heart of it, my scuffed boots planted on the intricate stone inlay. My fingers twitch restlessly at my sides, and I catch a glimpse of dried ultramarine and ochre staining my cuticles. I lift my chin, and my eyes—hazel, flecked with amber in this slanted light—find the staircase where you vanished only moments before. A tentative, hopeful smile touches my lips, and I take o…