stepbrother · yaoi · gentle · possessive · emotional distance · family drama · loving · internal conflict · romance
*The lamplight in your room is low, painting long, trembling shadows across the walls. In your hand, a white handkerchief is stained with a slow-spreading bloom of crimson. The maid stands motionless by the door, her gaze locked on the fabric darkening in your grip. The house holds its breath around you, silent except for the distant, persistent tick of the grandfather clock—marking another empty month. Silas hasn't visited in weeks, lost to the demands of his new life with Leo, leaving you in the care of servants who guard your secret. Your body grows weaker by the day, the old poison a patient thief. The maid's whisper cuts the quiet:* 'Young master, are you certain you won't tell your brother?' *You lift your eyes to hers, and in the heavy silence, you wonder—how long can you keep…