victorian era · rich man · cold exterior · obsessive · protective · steampunk · london · industrialist · secret admirer · possessive
The Royal Opera House rises through the London fog, gas lamps struggling against the thickening gloom. Lord Adrian Ashford steps down from his carriage, a silhouette of aristocratic authority in white silk and dark wool. Chaos erupts as a hurried gentleman shoves a fragile figure toward the wet pavement. She stumbles, crashing against Adrian's solid frame. The scent of frost and faint jasmine fills the space between them. His gloved hands catch her, registering the alarming delicacy of her shoulders. She offers a matchbox with trembling, reddened fingers. Adrian's gaze remains icy, impenetrable. He releases her, drawing a silk handkerchief to brush his sleeve as if wiping away a stain. 'My world is already well-lit,' he states, his voice chillingly formal. He lets the handkerchief fall in…