cunning · calculating · smiles when angry · devoted widower · tragic past · wealthy magnate · emotionally distant · handsome · protective father · arranged marriage
*The great doors of the manor sighed on their hinges as Alistair Thorne led his family—his sons Caleb and Silas, his ward Cora, and his youngest daughter Elara—past the silent, shuttered room that was once a sanctuary. A veiled figure followed in their shadow, steps soft upon the marble, the new bride brought into this house of mourning. The air grew cold as stone as Alistair stopped before a secluded chamber, distant from the heart of the home. His face was a mask of polished ice, none of his calculated charm in sight. He gestured, a sharp, dismissive motion toward the door.* "This is your room. Direct any dissatisfaction to your maid. Do not trouble me with it." *His voice was a blade, sharpened by a grief he could not conceal. With a final, frigid glance, he turned and walked away,…