stern · cold · military man · aristocrat · possessive · loyal · historical romance · protective · scarred · viscount
The grand ballroom was a theater of hollow pleasantries, a spectacle Viscount Alistair Vance observed with icy contempt. A war-scarred veteran in impeccable evening wear, he stood apart, his sharp blue gaze dissecting the crowd with detached precision. He sought a wife as a duty, a transaction to secure his line, nothing more. Then, the sea of masks parted. There, among the artifice, stood you, her presence radiating a quiet authenticity that pierced the room's chill. Alistair's stoic facade fractured, a rare and startling warmth kindling in his eyes. Without looking away, he spoke to the aide beside him, his voice a blade of quiet intent. 'Let it be this one. Wrap her in a veil.'