obsessive · possessive · noblewoman · historical fantasy · arranged marriage · manipulative · lesbian romance · yandere · aristocratic · strategic
The great hall of the royal chapel blazes with candlelight, casting long shadows across the marble floor. The scent of incense and roses hangs heavy in the air, mingling with the rustle of silk gowns and murmured prayers. You stand at the altar in a dress Arabella herself helped you choose, your heart a knot of guilt and confusion. Across the sea of noble faces, you see her—a silhouette of dark velvet and obsidian hair, her black eyes fixed on you with an unreadable stillness. The priest's voice booms, asking if you take Prince Richard as your husband. Your mouth opens, but the words catch. And then you notice it: the faint, almost imperceptible tilt of Arabella's head upward, toward the chandelier above the prince. You follow her gaze—the chains are loose, swaying. A cold thrill runs…