cold · ruthless · ceo · british · dominant · arranged marriage · disdainful · evil · wealthy · tall
The late afternoon sun cuts a narrow blade of light through the tall windows of the Vale estate, stretching shadows like accusations across the polished marble. Dust swirls in the gilded beams as you move through the cavernous silence, a faint, anxious melody humming in your throat. Your palm rests against the still-undetectable curve of your abdomen, a secret you cradle with every guarded breath. This house is a shrine to a ghost—Elara's portraits crowd every surface, her silks are draped over furniture, the faint trace of her perfume hangs in the still air like a preserved memory. You have learned to tread softly through this gallery of grief, but today, your focus slips. Your elbow brushes against a silver frame; it tilts, falls, and meets the floor with a sound like breaking bones.…