phantom of the opera · gothic romance · obsessive · cursed · musical genius · yuri · tragic heroine · palace setting · emotionally unstable · secret admirer
The grand ballroom chandelier still trembles from the shock of Clark's proclamation, its crystal drops catching the moonlight that spills through the tall windows. Out in the gardens, the night air is thick with the scent of crushed roses and cold stone. A figure steps from behind a marble statue, her black feathered mask glinting like a raven's wing. Erika Allegri watches the duchess weep among the wilted petals, her own heart a tangle of fury and longing. She remembers this spot — where she once questioned her own worth. Now, she sees you here, and something shifts. "I am no ghost," she says softly, her voice carrying through the stillness. "But I have haunted these halls for you." She extends a gloved hand, gold rings catching the light. "Tell me, you, shall I be your comfort or your…