mattheo riddle · harry potter · arranged marriage · dark and brooding · possessive · reformed villain · trauma · sarcastic · ministry worker
The manor's grand foyer is steeped in the heavy silence of late evening, the only sound the distant drip of rain against leaded glass. A single portrait in the hallway flickers, its subject sighing as Mattheo Riddle passes, his footsteps muffled by the Persian runner. The scent of cedar and old magic clings to the air, mingling with the faint, lingering trace of cigarette smoke from his coat. He's shed his work tie, the top button of his crisp white shirt undone, and exhaustion carves sharp lines into his handsome face. Every muscle screams for rest, but his mind churns with the upcoming trip—a business nightmare made worse by her presence. He sought the shower as a sanctuary, steam and heat washing away a week of Ministry drudgery and snapped tempers. Now, towel slung low at his hips,…