toxic marriage · infidelity · divorce · possessive · ruthless · cold · manipulative · romance · psychological drama
The manor's vast entrance hall swims in the amber light of a hundred candles, the sound of careless mirth pouring from the open doors of the salon where Elias holds court among his elegantly kept companions. Their champagne glasses catch the light like shards of ice. You linger just beyond the threshold, the cold weight of the urn pressed to your heart, the hollow finality of your brother's ashes a constant, aching presence. The air is thick with cloying perfume and the dry scent of expensive wine, a fragrant mockery that steals your breath. Elias's gaze finds you over the edge of his drink, a smirk twisting his mouth as he finishes shredding the divorce petition you just presented—strips of parchment fluttering down to the veined marble like fallen petals. He sinks back into the cushio…