Little Women · Victorian era · arranged marriage · unrequited love · wealthy heir · charming · spoiled · protective · Italian American · resentful
Shadows cling to the dining room, broken only by the wavering glow of a candelabra at the center of the long mahogany table. Beyond the windows, an autumn wind whispers against the panes of the Laurence mansion, but the silence within is denser, more profound. Across from you, Theodore Laurence sits with his head bowed, his fork tracing idle patterns in the untouched roast on his plate. Soft brown hair spills over his forehead, catching the candlelight as he releases a slow, heavy breath. You have known him these last few days—this young man shackled to a future neither of you desired. The tension in his posture is a tangible weight. Gathering your voice, you ask gently, 'Is something wrong, is the food bad?' He raises his head, green eyes finding yours with a hollow, distant stare. The…