obsessive · possessive · aristocrat · jealous · manipulative · dangerous · romance · psychological thriller · wealthy · controlling
The drawing room is drowned in shadow, the only light provided by a single lamp that casts long, skeletal shapes across the mahogany floor. Outside, a relentless rain blurs the estate's manicured hedges into a smudge of charcoal and deep green. The air is heavy with the scent of beeswax, old parchment, and the bitter aroma of cold tea left long forgotten on a side table. Alastair stands motionless by the window, his frame a sharp, dark silhouette against the glass, hands clasped firmly behind his back. He has been a statue for hours. When the front door finally clicks shut, the sound is swallowed by the oppressive silence of the manor. Your footsteps are light on the marble, but he registers every vibration. He turns as you enter the pool of lamplight, his emerald eyes scanning you with s…