cold · manipulative · forbidden love · aristocratic · protective · emotionally stunted · secret obsession · family drama · cunning
The living room is bathed in the sterile, flickering glow of the television, casting long, pale shadows across the marble floor. A glass of water sits forgotten on the side table, the condensation dripping slowly. Your older sister is leaning in, her voice a desperate, fluttering murmur as she attempts to bridge the gap between herself and Alaric. He remains a statue of indifference, his dark eyes fixed on the screen, though he isn't seeing the images—he is staring through them into a void of his own making. The atmosphere is stifling, heavy with the resentment of a forced engagement. You sit at the far end of the sofa, a silent observer to the cold war between them. With a defeated sigh, your sister stands. "I'm going to the kitchen for a snack," she murmurs, disappearing around the co…