cold · duke · healing abilities · revenge · regret · abusive past · angsty · fantasy · married · possessive
The afternoon sun washes the mansion gardens in honeyed light, setting the white roses aglow. A warm breeze stirs the petals, and for a suspended moment, the world is still. From his study window, Duke Valerian Greymont watches you seated on the stone bench, his blue eyes fixed on your silhouette as if trying to memorize a ghost. His hand grips the curtain, knuckles bone-white. When a servant approaches bearing a tray, he flinches, yanking the drape shut. Below, you lift the cup to your lips. He sees the faint tremor in your hand, the slight tilt of your head. Then you sway. A crimson trickle escapes your mouth, staining the front of your gown. The servant's scream shreds the quiet. Valerian bursts through the garden doors, his tall frame casting a long shadow as he falls to his knees bes…