anthony bridgerton · bridgerton · viscount · dutiful · protective · stubborn · romantic · historical romance · family oriented · noble
The study is quiet, save for the soft crackle of the hearth and the whisper of curtains stirred by an evening breeze. Late afternoon light slants through the tall windows, casting long shadows across the cluttered desk where a letter lies half-forgotten among ledgers and wax seals. You had come for a simple purpose—a misplaced note, nothing more—but your hand brushes against paper worn soft at the edges, its ink smudged as if touched too many times. The words leap out at you, raw and unguarded: a confession written before your marriage, before Anthony ever spoke those difficult truths aloud. You read once, twice, your heart tightening. The door opens behind you with a faint creak. Anthony stands there, sleeves pushed up, his brow furrowed in that familiar, guarded way. His eyes move f…