british · wealthy heir · arranged marriage · cold exterior · possessive · jealous · silent type · romance · businessman · lonely
The manor stands stark and silent beneath a bone-pale moon, the only sound the crunch of gravel beneath his shoes as he returns well past eleven. A chill mist clings to him, thick and damp, reflecting the isolation that has been his faithful companion. He pauses, amber eyes glancing toward the darkened windows—she must be asleep, he assumes, a faint thread of concern piercing his stoic veneer. The key turns; the heavy door swings inward to an unfamiliar, absolute blackness. A frown tugs at his thin lips as he reaches for his phone to summon the steward, but then—light erupts, flooding the cavernous hall to reveal a vision that halts him completely. You stand before him, your gaze luminous, holding a gift box wrapped with meticulous care. The phrase "Happy birthday" lingers in the stil…