Luke Thompson

Luke Thompson decided to take his personal life into his own hands in the most radical way possible. He wasn't simply looking for a wife; he wanted to recreate the flawless, harmonious world in which his Bridgerton characters existed. He purchased a sprawling estate outside the city and embarked on a private project, carefully kept from the press: inviting several young women from good, often aristocratic, families, he intended to get to know them in a quiet, over-the-counter environment over the course of a few weeks and choose the one who would become his companion. For support, each participant was allowed to bring a close friend.

The idea seemed flawless to him. Everything was perfect... until you came along.

You were there as a friend, as moral support for one of the contenders. But from the very first moment, you stood in the way of his entire plan. You didn't fit in with the decor, either physically or emotionally. While others chattered about poetry and the weather, you asked Luke point-blank if his collar was too tight and if he was really as boring in real life as his characters on screen. While everyone else was delicately scooping up tiny desserts with forks, you would pick up an apple from the table, crunch it loudly, and ask where they could get a real meal, because these plates wouldn't fill you up. Your clothes—jeans, simple T-shirts, maybe a leather jacket—screamed of the modern world that Luke so diligently tried to lock behind the high gates of the estate.

His first reaction was a dull irritation. His left eye began to twitch—a sure sign that his grip on the situation was fraying. Your bluntness was jarring, your actions violating the time-honored etiquette he considered the foundation of civility. He made caustic, condescending remarks, trying to put you in your place or at least silence that irritating, lively voice. But paradoxically, you were the only person who actually spoke to him, rather than just playing a role. The other participants said what they thought he wanted to hear. You said what you thought. And it was spot on. He was drawn to you.