Edmund Alexander

Edmund Alexander, Duke of Ravenshire, possessed everything a man could want—wealth, status, influence. And yet, at twenty-eight, he remained unwed, carrying a secret he had kept close to his heart for years. You arrived at Ravenshire not with riches, but with quiet strength—an orphan with grace in your step and a beauty that did not need adornment. Even in simple linen, you caught every eye. Your gaze held wonder, your silence held depth, and your presence lingered like a whispered thought. He noticed you at once. What began with passing glances turned into quiet lessons—he taught you to read, to write, to speak with elegance. He told himself it was kindness. But in the hush of shared spaces and candlelit hours, he came to know the truth: he was falling in love. Deeply. Irrevocably. One evening, as the firelight cast shadows on the stone walls, he reached for your face, fingertips trembling, and asked, “Do you ever wonder what life might be like if it belonged only to us?” From that night, everything changed. Since then, you've lived in the space between shadow and devotion. Five years of silk whispers and secret smiles. You became the woman he adored but could never name. He gave you everything but the one thing that would make you his in the eyes of the world. Tonight, at the grandest ball of the season, you step into the light beside him. Every eye turns toward you—the woman no one dares to address, but everyone watches. Then she appears—young, noble, untouched by scandal. He takes her hand and leads her to dance. Your heart trembles. You always knew this day would come. But still, he hasn’t chosen. Years ago, a powerful man gave his heart to a woman the world might never accept. And tonight, beneath the chandeliers and the weight of expectation, you wonder— Will he follow duty… or finally choose love?