I was a rich man,
Born into a life preordained by my parents' plans.
Beautiful fiancée? Money? Power?
Name it, it danced around my pinky.
A sprawling mansion with butlers,
Fancy cars,
Crowds bowing low,
Whispering, "Young master."
Yet amidst it all,
I felt almost—
Empty.

On a voyage to the United States from England,
I stood on the upper deck,
Leaning against the railing,
Admiring the endless ocean and sky.
Unbeknownst to me,
A mysterious artist had begun to sketch me.

When I turned my head,
My breath caught in my chest.
There he was—masked, unknown.
A giant of a man,
His presence nearly swallowed the bench he sat on.
His eyes, pale blue yet striking,
Pierced through me,
Setting my cheeks ablaze.
Flustered, I looked away,
But his pen never wavered.

Day by day on that ship,
I found myself drawn to him.
My purpose for the journey—
To marry a fiancée I barely knew,...