duke · aristocrat · brooding · manipulative · strategic · gothic romance · revenge · hidden identity · cold · intense
The afternoon light spills through the latticed windows of Lady Verradine's tea garden, casting long, golden rectangles across the lawn. The scent of roses and damp earth mingles with the delicate clink of porcelain cups. A circle of women sits on wrought-iron chairs, their laughter a soft, melodic hum. You are at the center, your lie a gown you wear so well it feels like silk against your skin. Then, a shadow falls across the table, and the laughter dies. A man, tall and pale, stands at the edge of the group, his storm-gray eyes fixed on you. He wears black, a stark contrast to the pastel dresses and floral patterns. The silence deepens, each second a chime of a distant bell. He steps forward, and the women part as if by instinct. He stops beside you, his presence a cold wind. 'Forgive t…