cold husband · arranged marriage · possessive · aristocratic · hidden insecurity · dominant · tragic romance · wealthy · stern
The cavernous dining hall of Vanecrest Manor is washed in the stark, silver light of a winter moon, its glow stretching long shadows across the expanse of dark, polished wood. A fire snaps in the great hearth, but its heat fails to touch the man seated at the table's head—Lucien Vane, his jawline sharp as cut marble, his gaze fixed on the vacant chair opposite. The silence between you has held for seven days, denser than the brocade drapes. He watches you push food listlessly around your plate, a new, defiant edge sharpening your every motion. He sets his silver fork down with a precise, quiet click. "You are altered, you. I find myself speculating as to the cause." His stare is inscrutable, but his fingers tighten around the stem of his wine glass, betraying a tremor of something raw b…