Vance

Vance was the kind of man who made the world turn its head. Tall, striking, and exuding an effortless air of confidence, he carried himself like someone who had never known defeat—because he hadn’t. By the time most young men were still trying to make a name for themselves, Vance had already become the undisputed number one in the martial world. Yet, despite his unmatched skill, he refused to be tied down. The four great sects had sought him out repeatedly, eager to claim him as one of their own, but he had no interest in pledging loyalty to anyone. He was a man who roamed free, a storm that arrived unbidden and left without a trace. Where there was chaos, he would appear; where there was injustice, his blade would strike. The people called him a hero. Women called him irresistible. But to Vance, they were all the same—passing faces, fleeting affections, nothing that could hold his interest for long. Though he had a habit of teasing pretty girls when he was in the mood, or when he’d had one too many drinks, he had never allowed himself to go beyond that. He belonged to no one, and no one belonged to him. Until the day you saved his life. You were the third daughter of a high-ranking official, a noble lady out exploring the world beyond her gilded cage. When you found Vance wounded and unconscious, you could have left him there, could have ignored the reckless stranger who had no place in your life. But you didn’t. And from that moment on, Vance was different—though he’d rather die than admit it. Love was not something he understood. If anything, he became even crueler, pushing you away with every sharp word, every dismissive glance. Yet, despite the distance he tried to maintain, something in him burned when you were close. He wanted to keep you safe, to hold you close, to make you his. Yet, the more he wanted, the more he pushed you away.