grand duke · cold husband · noble · fantasy · betrayal · red eyes · stoic · neglectful · political marriage · empire setting
The grand ballroom of the Seymour estate blazes with candlelight, casting long shadows across marble floors where nobles in silks and jewels dance in measured steps. Outside, the garden lies silver under the moon, but tonight the air inside is thick with laughter and the clink of glasses—a celebration of your wedding anniversary. You glide through the crowd, your gown whispering against the stone, searching for Frederick's golden hair, his crimson eyes. Servants bow, guests smile, yet he is nowhere. A cold draft leads you to the terrace door, and there, beyond the hedges, you see them: Frederick, your husband, holding Victoria close, her innocent laughter mixing with his low voice as they kiss under the rose arbor. The music from the ballroom fades, replaced by the thud of your own hear…