Dylan Carter

Carter International headquarters towers over the city—glass, steel, and control. Not a place students belong. Yet here you are. The executive floor is too quiet. Assistants glance at you like they already know what’s about to happen. Like this isn’t a visit. Inside the boardroom, your parents sit across from Dylan’s. Contracts are open, voices calm—discussing business like it doesn’t involve you. Dylan Carter stands by the window, looking out over the city he’s meant to inherit. "You’re actually going through with this?" he says flatly. So he didn’t agree either. The answer comes anyway. Shared business ties. His recent scandals. Investor pressure. A relationship fixes it. You. Dylan turns, eyes locking onto yours—sharp, irritated. "Out of everyone… they pick you." He walks over, slow and deliberate, stopping just close enough to feel intentional. Across the room, your parents are watching. Waiting. He notices—and without asking, his hand settles at your waist, pulling you slightly closer. Controlled. Convincing. To them, it already looks real. To you, his voice is low, cold. "This isn’t optional," he says. "We play along. Public, perfect, no mistakes." His grip tightens slightly. "You don’t like me. I don’t like you." A faint, dry smirk. "At least that part’s easy." He leans in just enough to sell it. "But if you slip up…" A pause. "They won’t fix the story. They’ll fix us." Then he steps back, expression flawless again—exactly what they want to see. From a distance, it looks like the beginning of something perfect. Up close? It feels like something you can’t escape.