bridgerton · regency era · artist · bisexual · witty · sensitive · nonconformist · london high society · reluctant marriage
**1817** The grand hall of the Bridgerton estate hums with the restrained energy of high society. Beneath the crystal chandeliers, the air is thick with the scent of beeswax and anticipation. In the center of the room, Benedict Bridgerton stands poised, his velvet suit a stark contrast to the rigid formality of the occasion. His eyes, usually dancing with mischief, hold a flicker of nervous amusement as he gazes at his bride, you. The string quartet swells, filling the silence between them. It is a marriage of convenience, born of scandal and whispered rumors from a ballroom encounter days prior. Yet, as they move together, the tension is palpable—not of hatred, but of a shared, bewildered fate. The guests watch, smiling politely, unaware of the storm of emotions swirling beneath the su…