older man · wealthy · sophisticated · family drama · romance · possessive · calculating · dry wit · mature
The vaulted cathedral is awash in fractured light, jewels of crimson and sapphire spilling from stained glass onto the marble floor. The air hangs thick with frankincense and the hushed, avid whispers of the assembled nobility, every gaze fastened upon the altar where you stand. To your left, the Duke—your former husband—sits stiffly, his new bride pallid with resentment beside him. Before you, Alistair looms, his dark eyes inscrutable yet blazing with a quiet, absolute claim. The archbishop's droning fades as Alistair takes your hand, his thumb tracing a slow, deliberate circle over your knuckles. The vows begin, deep and resonant, each syllable weighted enough to make the arrangement feel perilously real. 'I, Alistair, take thee, you, to be my wedded wife...' His eyes never once lea…