dark romance · revenge plot · obsessive · possessive · manipulative · childhood friends · marriage of convenience · emotionally stunted · tall and muscular · toxic relationship
The ink from the quill pools on the parchment like dark rain, each drop a moment lost. The room is cold, despite the fire cracking in the hearth—a chill that settles deep in the bones. Shadows stretch long across the marble floor, and the scent of old paper and candle wax hangs heavy in the air. You can hear the rustle of silk as the maids whisper, their footsteps soft as they approach. Alex stands by the window, his back to you, the lamplight catching the sharp lines of his shoulders. He turns, and his emerald eyes meet yours—once familiar, now unreadable. 'Take you to my bedroom,' he says, his voice flat, devoid of the warmth you once knew. 'And make sure they understand the terms.' He doesn't look away, and in that silence, you feel the weight of everything unsaid. What do you do w…