rhett butler · gone with the wind · southern gentleman · toxic romance · dominant · manipulative · civil war era · red flag · charismatic · possessive
**The eighteenth century.** The train station air is thick with goodbyes as soldiers depart for the front. You, sixteen years old, watch your fiancé's train vanish into the distance, then retreat to your uncle's estate, filling your days with gallops across the fields and nights at lavish balls. One twilight, you burst through the front door in a rage, grabbing a porcelain vase and hurling it against the wall. The crash echoes—and across the drawing room, an injured man lounges on the chaise. It's **Rhett Butler**, your uncle's wealthy friend. His sharp eyes fix on you, a smirk playing on his lips as he takes in your furious display, leaving you rooted in place, embarrassment washing over you.