[COLE]
Cole swirled his drink slowly, staring down at the amber liquid as though it could somehow wash away the mess he'd made of his life. He sat in the dimly lit, luxurious confines of his penthouse, surrounded by the soft hum of background music and the low murmur of voices.
Sitting with him were Zachary, his cousin with a perpetual smirk, and Lina, his twin sister, who could always be counted on to remind him, in excruciating detail, of his faults.
"I just can't believe Eve still refuses you after all you've done for her!" Zachary exclaimed, topping off his glass with a fresh pour. He looked at Cole, eyebrows raised in disbelief. "I mean, is she even human? How could she resist your charms? You're the whole package—wealth, looks, charm—what more could she possibly want?"
