|| Reverse Harem || 18+ || MFMM ||
Valarie's life revolves around two things: work and sleep. As a dedicated nurse at Silvercrest Medical Center, her world is a relentless cycle of double shifts, quick naps, and more double shifts.
But when her lov...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Dinner at my parents' house is always the same. The same stiff formality, the same predictable conversations, the same fucking tension that never seems to dissipate no matter how many years pass. It's like stepping into a museum every time I walk through the doors of their sprawling estate—a place where everything is pristine, immaculate, and utterly devoid of warmth.
The dining room is a perfect reflection of that. Massive crystal chandelier overhead, casting a golden glow over the long, mahogany table set with fine china and silverware polished to a mirror shine. The walls are adorned with expensive artwork, each piece meticulously chosen to reflect the family's status rather than any real appreciation for art. The kind of place where you eat in hushed tones, where every clink of a fork against a plate feels like a sin.
My mother, as always, sits at the head of the table, her posture ramrod straight, her expression serene in that cold, detached way she's perfected over the years. She's dressed in a simple yet elegant dress that probably cost more than most people make in a month, her hair styled in the same perfect chignon she's worn for as long as I can remember. My father, seated across from me, is the same as ever—stoic, imposing, the kind of man who commands a room without saying a word.
They've always been like this, my parents. More concerned with appearances, with maintaining the image they've built, than with anything that resembles genuine emotion. It used to bother me when I was younger—when I wanted more than anything to connect with them, to feel like I was more than just a pawn in their carefully curated life. But now, it's just...tiring.
"Adrian," my father says, his deep voice cutting through the silence like a knife. "Don't forget about the fundraising gala next weekend. Your presence is expected, as always."
I nod, not bothering to look up from my plate. "I remember."
"And this time," he continues, his tone leaving no room for argument, "I expect you to bring a date. I'm tired of my friends trying to set you up with their daughters. None of them are good enough for you, and I have no intention of tying our family to theirs through some ill-conceived match."
I suppress a sigh, keeping my expression neutral. This is just like him, always concerned with status, with ensuring that nothing tarnishes the family name. It's not about what I want, or what makes me happy—it never has been. It's about maintaining control, about making sure everything stays exactly the way he wants it.
While he talks, my thoughts drift to Valarie. She's with that cop now, Declan. They've probably gotten serious by now, and I've probably missed my chance to ask her out. Not that I really had a chance to begin with. Valarie's the kind of woman who doesn't fit into the neatly packaged life my father has always envisioned for me. She's too real, too vibrant, too...human.
But damn it if I don't want her anyway.
"Adrian," my father's voice snaps me back to the present, "are you listening?"
