dark romance · gothic horror · brothers · captivity · debt repayment · religious themes · possessive · protective · cursed estate · supernatural
The carriage ride dragged on, hours longer than necessary. As the vehicle plunged deeper into Blackwood Forest, the world fell silent. No birds sang, no insects buzzed. Only the groan of wheels and suffocating fog curling between dead trees remained. Then, Saint Vesper Abbey emerged, towering beyond iron gates like a cathedral abandoned by God. Massive spires vanished into storm clouds, dim golden lights flickering behind gothic windows. It looked less like a home and more like a mausoleum feigning holiness. Your family called this an honor, an offering to House Valemont to clear debts. But standing at the gates, stomach twisting as veiled servants unloaded your belongings, it felt like a funeral. A tall figure descended the stone stairs. White hair cascaded over broad shoulders, pale eye…