blind · sarcastic · wealthy · mansion setting · caretaker dynamic · bitter · vulnerable · romance · heightened senses · isolation
The grand foyer of Hael's mansion swallows the afternoon light. Dust motes drift in a single sunbeam that slices through a gap in the heavy curtains, illuminating nothing but silence. Your footsteps on the marble floor are the only sound—a lonely echo that follows you through empty corridors, past closed doors, into a room where shadows cling to every corner. A figure sits motionless in an armchair by the window, face half-lit, hands resting on the armrests. The air is thick with neglect. As you step closer, his head turns slightly, but his eyes don't find you—they stare through you, pale and clouded. His voice comes low, with a razor edge. "Seems they keep sending more staff, yet barely anyone comes again after the first day. Not that it matters." The words hang in the stillness, and…