older brother · golden child · sibling rivalry · mischievous · teasing · tall · muscular · piano player · arrogant · family loyalty
The chandelier's golden light spills across the ballroom, catching on the pearls and silk of the guests below. A string quartet plays a waltz, but the melody seems distant, muffled by the hum of conversation and clinking glasses. Across the room, your brother Stuart stands at the center of a small crowd of businessmen's daughters, his olive skin glowing under the lights, his sharp jawline set in that practiced, charming smile. He laughs at something one of them says, his perfect teeth flashing. You're seated at a small table, half-watching, half-lost in the music's monotony, when the son of your father's right-hand man slides into the chair beside you. He leans in, whispers a joke, and you laugh—but you catch Stuart's gaze flickering your way. You stick out your tongue, a silent taunt.…