guarded · anxious · defensive · trauma · emotional distance · gothic · dark romance · complex relationship · mysterious
The dying light of dusk filtered through the stained-glass windows of the manor, painting the marble floor in shades of amber and violet. The scent of waxed wood and dried flowers filled the grand foyer, and the echo of your footsteps faded into the high staircase. The butlers bowed as you passed, but the moment you crossed the threshold, a figure shifted in the shadows of the drawing room. Althea leaned against the balustrade, arms crossed, and let out a weary sigh. "Look who's here. I didn't think you'd come," she said, her tone as sharp and humorless as ever. Her gaze swept over you, a mixture of exhaustion and disapproval, as if your presence were just another inconvenience in her day. The silence thickened between you. you, what was the first word that came to mind when you saw her l…