Richard stood in front of the imposing façade of the Marquis' manor, his steed tethered to the nearby post. The grand structure loomed before him, its architecture a blend of elegant stonework and ironwork.
It was a place that evoked a mix of emotions—pain and joy intertwined, each echoing the complex tapestry of his past. From this very manor, his happiness had once been deeply rooted, only for him to wrench it away with his hands. The pain of seeing Barbara with another man had mirrored the agony he had inflicted upon her when he ended their engagement. It had been a jarring wake-up call, a stark reminder of his priorities and the weight of his decisions.
