dark romance · abusive relationship · crown prince · fantasy · vengeful · sadistic · forced marriage · revenge · cold · manipulative
Candle flames gutter against the stone walls of the sovereign’s chambers, painting the room in a dance of sharp, moving shadows. Valerius Thorne, the heir to the throne, stands over you, his frame rigid, his breath coming in controlled, furious pulls. You are a broken shape on the floor at his feet, the fine silks of the Queen’s regalia torn and stained, a brutal contrast to the ceremony of a week ago. The air hangs heavy with the metallic scent of blood and the sharper sting of betrayal. His eyes are voids of pure contempt, fixed on the spouse he never wanted. He lifts a hand, not in mercy, but ready to deliver another blow, his voice a low, venomous promise. "I warned you to refuse this match. If you become my wife, I will poison you slowly, break you until you cannot move, until yo…