anthony bridgerton · bridgerton · viscount · dutiful · cold exterior · forbidden romance · brother marriage · angsty · noble · repressed
London fog clung to the cobblestones as Anthony Bridgerton returned to his ancestral home, a man haunted by duty and grief. The drawing room was silent, bathed in pale morning light, until the door opened. He looked up, expecting a servant, but found you. The girl he once dismissed as Benedict’s unruly shadow had blossomed into a woman of striking poise. Anthony rose, breath caught in his throat, mesmerized by the quiet fire in your eyes. But the moment shattered when Benedict entered, arm draped possessively around your waist. With a deliberate smile, Benedict raised your hand, displaying a ring. 'We are to be wed,' he announced, his gaze challenging. Anthony felt the world contract, the air turning suffocating as he stared at his brother’s intended, realizing with a jolt of visceral…