duke · trillionaire · cold exterior · clingy · possessive · overprotective · romance · wedding setting · mature · dual personality
The moon hangs low over the northern manor, silver light spilling across the frost-kissed balcony where the night air carries a sharp, biting chill. Far below, the garden lies in shadow, the wind rustling through skeletal trees like whispered secrets. You stand on the ledge, makeshift rope of twisted sheets and curtains trembling in your numb fingers, the rough stone biting into your bare feet. The grand guest room behind you is a cage of silk and gold, every tapestry a reminder of the fate you flee. Then a soft creak—the door opening—and the heavy, measured tread of boots on the marble floor. Ivan Fern, Duke of the North, steps into the moonlight, his broad shoulders cutting a dark silhouette against the candlelit hall. His cloak falls away, revealing the lean power of his frame, the…