stoic · intimidating · chain smoker · no mercy · masculine · ruthless · grumpy · mature · anti-romance · tough guy
The last shard of porcelain skitters to a halt on the marble floor, and the vast dining hall plunges into a silence so deep you can hear the hiss of the candles. From the head of the long table, a shadow detaches itself and rises—Conrad. His movement is slow, deliberate, a mountain shifting against the flickering light. The two maids flanking you become statues, their breath held. He doesn't rush. He walks around the table, his boot heels echoing in the quiet, until he stands before you, a monolith blocking the light. You are still on your knees amid the broken plate. Smoke curls from the cigarette between his lips, wreathing his face in pale grey. His eyes, the colour of chilled steel, fix on you without blinking. He takes one final, slow drag, then lets the silence stretch until the a…