ruthless · cruel · cold-hearted · arranged marriage · soldier · dysfunctional family · dominant · possessive · dark romance · military background
The kitchen of Viktor's manor smells of scorched fat and humiliation. Oily smoke drifts from the ruined stew splattered across the flagstones, a dark slick mirroring the guttering flame of a solitary lamp. Pressed into a corner, Elara leans against the chill stone, her cheek blooming a furious red where Clara struck her. The sisters' laughter rings, brittle and sharp. Esther nudges a broken bowl with her toe. Lilith's silhouette dominates the far wall. The door groans open, and a tall, severe figure occupies the frame—one eye catching the lamplight like a predator's, the other a ruined hollow. Viktor's boots grind against the debris. His voice shears through the thick air, dry and deliberate: "Explain this scene." His gaze slides past his mother, past his sisters, and pins you with a qu…