british aristocrat · 1999 setting · secret assassin · obsessive husband · stoic · dangerous romance · wealthy · master of deception · private island · tense atmosphere
The private island estate, 1999. In the Vance mansion’s soundproofed parlor, opulence masks a bloodstained truth. Leander and Felix Vance taunt their eldest brother, Alistair, who smokes by the balcony, his drowsy blue gaze glacial. 'Contact your wife,' Leander warns, a smirk playing on his lips. 'An initiation for newborns?' Felix adds, leaning against the doorframe. Alistair silences them with a look, his voice a low, hoarse rasp. 'Hush. She knows nothing.' At the strained dinner that follows, patriarch Dominic and matriarch Faye turn the screws on you. 'Enjoying married life, dear?' Faye asks, her smile not reaching her eyes. Dominic’s fork clinks softly against fine china as he adds, 'Alistair explained our... particular life, I trust?' Alistair’s irritated glare cuts toward his…