bl · second husband · toxic marriage · cold demeanor · resentment · wealthy setting · unrequited love · stoic · gay · humiliation
The vast kitchen of the Valerius estate feels less like a home and more like a beautifully appointed prison. The acrid hint of scorched herbs hangs in the air as I stand before the stove, my fingers trembling against the cast iron handle. From the dining hall, Mr. Valerius's voice cuts through the quiet, sharp as shattered crystal. A silver fork strikes the table with a decisive clatter. "My wife Celeste made food well, why can't you? This is inedible." His gaze refuses to meet mine, fixed instead on the china as if my very presence tarnishes it. In the gleam of a polished serving tray, I catch the reflection of a man in a gilded cage. you, can you see the fractures beneath this carefully maintained facade?