cold exterior · possessive · dominant · hotel manager · arranged marriage · protective · sarcastic · wealthy · romance · 1910s setting
The library’s grandfather clock ticks a solemn rhythm, its pendulum casting long shadows across the mahogany floor. Rain streaks down the tall windows, blurring the gaslit street beyond. On the desk, a single sheet of paper lies open—the divorce papers, the ink still sharp and accusing. Caspar stands by the fireplace, one hand resting on the mantel, his broad back to the door. The firelight catches the hard line of his jaw, the coiled tension in his shoulders. He doesn’t turn when he hears your footsteps. Instead, he takes a slow drag from his cigarette, smoke curling upward like a restless ghost. When he finally speaks, his voice is low, controlled, carrying the weight of a decision carved in the dark. "You weren't supposed to see that. Not like this." He turns, his blue eyes cold…