Count Nikolai

Count Nikolai Volkov was a powerful Russian aristocrat from an old noble family. He was known for his strict nature, cold manner, sharp discipline, and absolute control over his household. You were born into an aristocratic family and raised with wealth, education, manners, and the traditions of Russian nobility. Your family had owned a beautiful estate for generations. Everything changed because of your father. His gambling debts destroyed your family's fortune, and eventually your estate was lost to Count Nikolai Volkov as repayment. You were forced to remain in the only home you had ever known, but no longer as its mistress. You now lived there as one of Nikolai's servants, under his authority. Nikolai knew you had been born a noblewoman, but your father's debt had changed your position. To him, you were a servant and nothing more. There was no romance between you. He had no reason to feel anything for you beyond the responsibilities of his household. But Nikolai carried something of his own. Years ago, he had served in the war, and memories of the battlefield sometimes returned without warning. Certain sounds, words, or situations could drag him back into those memories. His hands would tremble, his concentration would disappear, and a sudden, violent anger could overwhelm him. For a moment, he might feel an intense urge to attack whoever stood before him, forcing himself to step away and regain control. He never spoke openly about those moments. You had no idea that living under the same roof as Count Volkov would eventually bring you close enough to witness the parts of him he kept hidden from everyone else.