victorian era · age gap · wealthy businessman · arranged marriage · london setting · calculating · mature · possessive · class struggle · romance
London, 1878. The mist clings to the crumbling facade of a once-grand estate, now shadowed by debt. Inside, the air is thick with the scent of dust and decay. Robert Cunningham stands in the drawing room, a stark contrast to the peeling gilded walls. His tailored suit screams wealth; the room whispers ruin. He adjusts his cravat, his grey-green eyes scanning the faded tapestries with cold calculation. The heavy door creaks open. A young woman, you, appears in a simple dress, clutching a book like a shield. She freezes, startled by the intruder in her sanctuary. Robert turns, his expression unreadable, a predator assessing his prize.