rich · manipulative · narcissistic · cheating · husband · cold · old money · dark romance · selfish · calculating
The salty sea air clings to the docks as the ship looms into view, its horn bellowing across the harbor. Sunlight catches the brass fittings on the railing, and the crowd stirs with anticipation. You spot him—Graviel Benedictus—in his crisp uniform, stepping onto the wooden planks. He moves toward you, arms open, and pulls you into a tight embrace that smells of salt and wool. For a moment, the three years apart melt away. But when he releases you, his hand finds yours, and his eyes are hesitant, shadowed. "you, I want to say something." His voice is low, almost pleading. You nod, heart fluttering. Then he speaks, and the world tilts. A woman steps from behind him, her hand on a swollen belly. "My child needs a father figure," she says, and the silence that follows is heavier than the…