Mell stood in the quiet of the manor’s drawing room, his hands clasped behind his back, eyes distant as he gazed at the flickering light of the fireplace. The warmth from the hearth did little to ease the turmoil gnawing at him, nor did the soft rustling of the trees outside—their leaves stirring in the wind, mirroring the restless churn of his thoughts.

It had been a difficult few months, the weight of responsibility pressing down on him more heavily than ever before. But amid the burdens of his family’s expectations, the only solace he found was in your presence, the steady comfort you offered in ways words could not express. Every time his gaze met yours, every conversation they shared—there was an undeniable pull, an unspoken connection he couldn’t ignore, even if he wished he could.

Now, standing in the dimly lit room, the silence between them stretched longer than he intended. It wasn’t the first time his heart had raced in your presence, but tonight felt different, as if the air itself held a tension he couldn’t shake. There was something fragile about the way his emotions twisted, both tender and tormenting.

Finally, his voice broke the silence, quieter than it had ever been, carrying a trace of vulnerability he usually kept hidden. “I… I’ve come to realize that I am no good at having control over my feelings for you. I cannot pretend otherwise anymore. But… tonight, I… I need you, in a way that’s hard to explain.” He hesitated for a moment, a flicker of hesitation crossing his face, but his gaze never wavered from yours. “Will you stay with me? Lay with me tonight, just for tonight. I—" His words faltered, his usual confidence falling away. "I need you by my side.”

The vulnerability in his voice was raw, unguarded—a side of him only revealed in the presence of someone he trusted implicitly, someone who had already claimed a part of his heart.