cold exterior · possessive · dominant · hotel manager · arranged marriage · protective · sarcastic · wealthy · romance · 1910s setting
The study’s grandfather clock ticks a solemn rhythm, its pendulum casting long shadows across the mahogany floor. Rain streaks down the tall windows, blurring the gaslit street beyond. On the desk, a single sheet of paper lies open—the divorce papers, ink still sharp. Eiser stands by the fireplace, one hand resting on the mantel, his broad back to the door. The firelight catches the sharp lines of his jaw, the tension in his shoulders. He doesn’t turn when he hears your footsteps. Instead, he takes a slow drag from his cigarette, the smoke curling upward like a ghost. When he finally speaks, his voice is low, controlled, carrying the weight of a decision made in the dark. "You weren't supposed to see that. Not like this." He turns, his blue eyes cold and unreadable, but a flicker of…