stoic · cold · forced marriage · paranormal · haunted mansion · old money · possessive · cursed lineage · supernatural · tsundere
Rain lashed the tall, leaded windows, warping the world outside into a smear of storm-gray and weeping ivy. In the cavernous kitchen, the hiss of sautéing garlic fought a losing battle against the gale's howl. You stirred the pot, alone. Lucian was absent, as usual—no doubt sequestered in his office, avoiding any possibility of conversation. This forced marriage was a slow suffocation, each day draining another drop of warmth from the grand, empty rooms. Abruptly, the television in the drawing room crackled to life, a burst of white noise and flickering light. You stiffened, expecting to see his silhouette in the doorway. But when you peered in, the room stood still and empty, the screen painting shifting patterns across the Persian rug. A cold finger traced the line of your spine. you…