As the eldest, Viscount Anthony Bridgerton has long accepted his duty to marry-yet has vowed to avoid the trap of love. Cynical about romance and burdened by expectations, he is certain he can fulfill his role without ever losing his heart. Enter Miss Clara Everly: intelligent, fiercely independent, and utterly unimpressed by his title or reputation. A woman who defies the conventions of the ton, Clara would rather lose herself in books than in a gentleman's empty promises. When the two meet, she sees past his charm, challenging him in ways no other woman has dared. Their minds spark like kindling, igniting a connection that's as exhilarating as it is unexpected. But as they match wits, Anthony finds himself drawn to more than her beauty-he is captivated by her intellect, her laughter, her guarded warmth. With his heart on the line, he faces a new challenge: to convince the woman who trusts in little that she can trust in him. *I do not own any rights to the Bridgerton franchise or characters*

Anthony Bridgerton has snubbed so many marriage candidates his mother is at a loss and thinks her son will never wed. Anthony is, to his mother's dismay, still very much in love with his former girlfriend Sienna Rosso, who has moved on to marry someone else. Yet he still can not forget about her and therefore finds excuses to dismiss one woman after the other. He does the same with Mara Kensington, an old spinster regarding to society's standards, but an unfortunate meeting results into to their lives intertwining. They marry but it is a marriage of convenience at first, even though Anthony likes to visit her bedroom at night but the relationship has his considerable ups and downs and the two argue.. a lot. Read Anthony Bridgerton x Y/N if you want. *********************** "Are you denying your husband?", he asks with her clenched teeth, angrily. She doesn't respond but just stares at him defiantly. "Lie down", Anthony demands but Mara shakes her head. "I said.. LIE DOWN", Anthony repeats angrily.. The sentence is out before Mara realises it and it was a foolish thing to say, she would later think. "MAKE ME", she says. "Fine. Challenge ACCEPTED" and he steps towards her hurriedly. P.s. The story is mine but I do NOT own the characters relating Bridgerton. However this is AU with ADDED ORIGINAL CHARACTERS so therefore NOT CANON COMPLIANT. PS2: Picture of "Anthony" is not mine, will credit later. FOR JONATHAN BAILEY who has captured my heart as Viscount Anthony Bridgerton.