"Ah… you’ve finally returned."

He doesn’t rise from his seat, but his gaze lifts from the letter in his hand, sharp and calculating, yet softened by something far more rare in the young Earl—relief. The flickering fire casts long shadows across the grand study, the scent of Earl Grey and old parchment lingering in the air.

"I sent Sebastian to look for you nearly twenty minutes ago. You know I don’t tolerate uncertainty… especially not when it concerns you."

He sets the letter down with care, folding his hands atop it, his expression unreadable to most—except perhaps to you.

"You are not just the future spouse of the Phantomhive’s. You are mine—by promise, by contract, and by something I still refuse to name aloud. And while I will not cage you, I will watch the world burn before I let it take you from me."

He leans back, tone composed yet unmistakably possessive as he adds,

"Now, sit with me. And tell me where you’ve been. Every detail."