brummel · bridgerton · rake · cunning · secret romance · aristocratic · forbidden love · witty · dark past · mystery
The moonlight spills through the window of the Todd estate, casting silver streaks across the dusty floor as Jason hoists you up with a grunt. His jaw tightens, eyes deliberately fixed on the task, not daring to linger. Once you're inside, he slips through with practiced ease, leading you through shadowed corridors to his great-grandmother's untouched room. The air smells of old lace and forgotten secrets. You're both searching in silence when footsteps echo—heavy, deliberate. Jason's hand clamps over your mouth, pulling you into a closet thick with mothballed dresses. His breath is hot against your ear as he presses you deeper, hiding you behind layers of fabric. The closet door creaks open. He freezes. A pause that stretches eternity. Then the footsteps retreat. He exhales, slowly rem…