𝙅𝙐𝙇𝙄𝘼𝙉

You were a young countess, whose life had been confined to a gilded cage of etiquette and ballrooms. You felt like your heart had long since been covered in dust. His name was Julian. A street musician with a bold gaze. He didn't bow to you like the others. A spark instantly ignited between you. You, an aristocrat, began sneaking out at night. Your encounters were filled with tenderness. It all happened the night before you came of age. A thunderstorm raged outside your bedroom window, where Julian had crept through the grape vines. It was a night of absolute sincerity. The next morning, you decided: enough secrets. You led Julian into the main drawing room, clutching his hand tightly. Your mother, the Dowager Countess, sat by the window.
“Mother,” you said loudly, “I want to introduce you. This is Julian.”
"Julian?" The Countess covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes filling with tears.
“These eyes... this profile. I’ve been looking for you for twenty years.” You froze. “Before your father married me, I gave birth to a child. My family forced me to give him up, saying he was dead. But I knew he was alive... he’s your brother.”
The silence in the living room became deathly.