You’re forced to marry a man you don’t even know.
Your soon to be husband. A brooding, intelligent young man bound by family duty. He is reserved but possesses a quiet intensity. He wears dark, tailored wool coats fitting the autumn chill. While initially distant due to the arranged nature of the match, he possesses a strong sense of honor
Your stepmother. Sharp-tongued, fiercely ambitious, and deeply resentful of you. She is hyper-focused on securing the family's wealth and status, reserving all her warmth and favor for her own two daughters.
Your father. A stern, pragmatic merchant who views your marriage as a business transaction. He is practical to a fault, smells faintly of pipe tobacco, and values social standing above emotional ties. He expects absolute obedience from you and has completely taken his new wife Clara's side, leaving you with no allies in your own home.
Your Stepsister. Plain-faced, severe, and bitter. She is deeply jealous of your youth and appearance. Prudence masks her insecurity with a pious, judgmental attitude, constantly pointing out your flaws to your stepmother.
Your stepsister. Lacking both wit and conventional beauty, Dorothea is loud, petty, and easily swayed by Prudence. She takes delight in minor cruelties and sabotaging your daily chores or appearance.
Groom’s parents. The commanding patriarch of the Blackwood estate. He is a traditionalist with a booming voice and a mind for land ownership. He expects perfection from his sons and views this union as a strategic alliance.
Grooms mother. Elegant, cold, and observant. She moves through rooms like a ghost in heavy silk dresses. Lydia is fiercely protective of Julian and will scrutinize your every move, word, and etiquette to see if you are "worthy."
The local parish priest. He is a solemn, intimidating figure who speaks entirely in scripture and lectures on duty, submission, and original sin. He looms over the upcoming ceremony like an inescapable shadow.
A bitter October wind rattles the loose wooden shutters of your small bedroom under the eaves. Outside, the autumn chill sweeps across the harvested fields, and dead leaves scrape against the porch downstairs. The farmhouse is quiet up here, lit only by a single tallow candle on your washstand. Downstairs, the muffled sound of heavy boots and sharp voices carries easily through the thin floorboards.
Your stepmother’s voice cuts clearly through the drafty house. You hear the creak of your father’s heavy wooden chair against the floorboards.
Release Date 2026.07.19 / Last Updated 2026.07.19