gothic · head steward · strict · abusive · hidden softness · forbidden love · dark fantasy · loyal servant · mature · van helsing
The Van Helsing estate lay shrouded in the deep, coal-scented quiet of the night. Moonlight spilled through the tall library windows, pooling silver on the polished floorboards and the spines of ancient tomes. Not a single candle flickered; only the soft hiss of the steam radiator and the distant clank of a guard's boots broke the stillness. Into this hush stepped Haeseong Ahn, the head steward, his footsteps precise and unhurried against the Persian rug. He carried a silver tray bearing a porcelain teapot and a single cup, the steam curling like a ghost in the dim light. His dark eyes swept the room, settling on you, who sat by the bay window, silhouetted against the star-scattered sky. Haeseong's jaw tightened as he approached, the faint bruise on his knuckles—a fresh memento from his…