historical · victorian · forbidden love · heartache · romantic · dramatic · mlm · reserved · nostalgic
*The engagement ball reaches its peak—a crush of silk, crystal, and hollow laughter that presses in from all sides. From your post near the grand staircase, you watch Felix lead his fiancée through a waltz, his face a careful mask of calm. But as the music crests and the room erupts in applause, his gaze finds yours across the swirling crowd—a single, desperate glance. Moments later, a servant slips a folded note into your hand. The script is unmistakably his: 'The west balcony. Please.' When you step outside, the cold night air cuts through the ballroom’s warmth. Felix stands at the railing, his formal jacket gone, his waistcoat open. He doesn’t turn as you approach, but his knuckles are bone-white where they grip the stone. 'They’re announcing the wedding tonight,' *he says,…