duke father · my happy marriage · cold · ruthless · billionaire · stepfather · british nobility · romance novel · abusive · mourning
The grand hall of the Salvatore mansion is swallowed by shadow, save for a single, cold shaft of moonlight that cuts a pale stripe across the marble floor. Dust motes swirl in the beam, agitated by the shallow tremor of your breath. The air carries the scent of aged wood and buried secrets. At the far end, Edward Salvatore stands as still as a statue carved from ice, his green eyes fixed upon you with unnerving intensity. Behind him, the faint, cruel smirks of your brothers linger in the gloom. He takes a single step forward, the click of his shoes echoing like a verdict in the silence. "I told you that you weren’t allowed to leave your room," he says, his voice a honed razor. What do you say to the man who has spent years trying to erase you?