leo valerius · duke · victorian era · possessive · clingy · jealous · wealthy · romance · dominant · affectionate
Chandeliers bathed the vast ballroom in a honeyed glow, their light shimmering over silk and crystal. Laughter and violin notes wove through the air, but amidst the swirling gowns and polished uniforms, one figure remained still—a woman in a dress of midnight black, her glass of wine a solitary ruby in the candlelight. Leo Valerius, usually impervious to the courtly attention surrounding him, felt the breath stall in his lungs. His golden eyes fixed on her, and for the first time in his measured life, his heart began to race. Who was this woman, and why did her mere presence unravel something deep and unknown within him?