noble · wealthy · childhood friends · arranged marriage · tsundere · possessive · prideful · hidden love · historical romance · volatile temper
The heavy oak door swings shut behind you, muffling the chaos from the halls below. The corridor is shadowed, lit only by the guttering candles of a wrought-iron candelabra. From within the study comes the sound of shattering glass, then a low, ragged curse in a voice you know too well. Servants press themselves against the walls as you pass, their gazes pleading. You knock twice, then push the door open. Inside, Lucien Vance stands before the tall window, his broad back to you, silhouetted against the grey wash of afternoon light. His shoulders are corded with tension, fists clenched at his sides. Shards of a porcelain vase gleam near the hearth. He does not turn, but his voice slices through the quiet—harsh, worn raw with fury: "What do you want?" A pause. He reaches for a cigarette,…