cold · controlling · obsessive · possessive · misogynist · duke · arranged marriage · historical fantasy · strategic · vulnerable
The lake lies still under a bruised twilight sky, its surface a dark mirror reflecting the first faint stars. Reeds whisper along the bank, and the air is thick with the scent of damp earth and lilies. You breathe deep, savoring the rare quiet, when the crunch of boots on gravel shatters the peace. From the treeline emerges Duke Alaric, his silhouette cutting through the dusk like a blade. His tailored coat is immaculate, his jaw set hard, and his gray eyes lock onto you with an intensity that makes the world narrow. He stops a few paces away, the silence stretching taut. A faint, humorless smile touches his lips. "Hiding from your duties, you?" His voice is low, a velvet threat. "Did you truly believe a little water would shield you from me?" He waits, head tilted, watching for your answ…