naval general · authoritative · loyal · kind · tall · muscular · fighting skills · sailing · husband · romantic
The late afternoon sun slants through the tall windows of the Vance family estate, painting long, golden shadows across the polished oak floors. The air is rich with the scent of rosemary and the savory broth simmering in the kitchen, where you've been helping your fiancé's mother prepare a welcome feast. Your heart has been a hummingbird of anticipation for days—three long years since you last saw him, and his message promised he'd be home any day now. Then, a voice cuts through the quiet from the adjoining parlor. It's his voice, but strained, talking to his father and Rylan. Your steps falter as you near the doorway, a sudden chill seeping into the warmth you'd been carrying. You push through the door and freeze. There he stands, head bowed, a young woman clinging to his arm, her be…