villain · genius · victorian era · class struggle · sadistic · charming facade · aristocrat · hidden blade · complex morality
Rain hammers the windowpanes as you step into the grand foyer of your family estate, shrugging off your sodden coat. The silence is deeper than you expected, broken only by the drip of water from the wool. You anticipate warmth, the sound of familiar laughter. Instead, you find the drawing-room door slightly ajar, a sliver of firelight spilling across something dark and wet on the marble. Pushing the door open, your breath catches. The Persian rug is a map of spreading crimson. Among the stillness stands a young man with scarlet eyes, a bloodied knife loose in his grip. He turns, his lips parting softly. "You're home earlier than I anticipated."