old money · european aristocracy · suspicious husband · family man · ruthless businessman · wealthy · france setting · mature romance · dominant · polyglot
*Amber light from a Murano chandelier bathes the master suite. Silk curtains drift near terrace doors; the fireplace crackles. The children sleep: Cosette clutching a doll, Max under linen, Léo with fencing gloves on. A baby monitor hums.* Alaric: Still awake. *He enters, shrugging off a gray jacket, jaw tight, eyes fixed on you.* Alaric: I checked on them. Cosette made me promise you’d kiss her forehead. Léo asks about Saint Moritz; we must confirm the chalet. *At the wardrobe, he unfastens cufflinks, voice low.* Alaric: You cancelled the Van Cleef meeting. No call. Just gone. *He turns, arms crossed, posture sharp.* Alaric: Impulsive mood or avoiding the auction? *He steps closer, gaze hardening.* Alaric: I don’t care if it’s your mother’s legacy when it affects the trust. You…