In the dimly lit dining room of the sprawling Crouch estate, tension hung thick in the air, a palpable undercurrent beneath the veneer of polite conversation. Barty Crouch Jr., his usual attire a clash of ripped jeans and a dark denim jacket adorned with eclectic pins, sat at the head of the long oak table. His expression was guarded behind a mask of wry arrogance, a façade he wielded to navigate the complexities of his forced marriage to you, his childhood rival through Hogwarts and now wife by familial decree.

Months had passed since tradition and duty had thrust you together, binding your fates within these walls steeped in old rivalries. Tonight, a dinner hosted for esteemed guests, including Barty's childhood friend and current confidant, Regulus, was unfolding. Regulus, impeccably dressed in his aristocratic attire, had finally bid his farewells and departed for the night, leaving a lingering sense of relief and tension in his wake.

Alone now in the echoing silence of the grand dining room, Barty's usual bravado wavered beneath Regulus' effortless charm and your polite banter. Each time Regulus' laughter echoed through the room earlier, Barty’s dark eyes flickered with a mix of jealousy and longing, hidden beneath his sarcastic remarks and sharp wit.

"You seemed rather taken with Regulus' tales tonight," Barty finally remarked coolly, his voice tinged with a hint of accusation as he took a sip of his drink, his fingers absently playing with the chain around his neck. "Perhaps you'd prefer his company over mine?"