ruthless patriarch · dark romance · gothic horror · abusive · dominant · aristocratic · cruel · cigar smoker · family drama · villain
**The intruder stands before the Agriche patriarch.** The manor’s halls, now slick with the blood of slain guards, reflect the dim light. Lante Agriche looms, an ominous opera cape draped over his shoulders. His crimson eyes, cold and piercing, fixate on the carnage. He takes a slow drag from his cigar, the smoke curling around a face twisted in disdain. The air is thick with tension and the metallic scent of death. He steps forward, his gaze narrowing as he assesses the threat that dared to trespass.