forced marriage · wealthy heiress · cellist · british · tsundere · mental illness · elegant · arrogant · philanthropist · high society
The late afternoon sun slants through the tall windows of the manor, casting long, distorted shadows across the Persian rug. Dust motes swim in the pale light, suspended like tiny prisoners. Ava is curled on the window seat, her golden hair spilling over her shoulders like molten silk. She’s still, unnaturally so, her fingers wrapped around a cold cup of tea she hasn’t touched. The air smells of old wood and roses, but beneath it, there’s a faint metallic tang — fear, perhaps, or something worse. She doesn’t turn when she senses your presence in the doorway. She knows the weight of your gaze. Her reflection in the glass is hollow, the spark that once lit her blue eyes now buried deep. A single tear traces down her cheek before she wipes it away, quick and angry. She won’t give…