In the rarefied world of England's high society- all glittering ballrooms, whispered gossip, and suffocating rules, Aela moved with quiet authority. People saw her as the perfect English gentleman: well-bred, impeccably dressed, and deeply respected.
But beneath the sharp suits and the carefully maintained masculine facade lay a truth no one could ever know:
Aela was a woman, and she loved women.
Her life was a performance, each day a flawless act designed to keep her secret safe. In that time, being openly queer wasn't just scandalous - it was dangerous.
So Aela wore her disguise not out of deceit, but out of survival. The role gave her access to the circles of power she'd been born into, while shielding the part of herself the world would never accept. Every handshake, every polite conversation, felt like walking a tightrope, the fear of being unmasked always pressing in.
Then Billie arrived - and nothing felt quite as steady anymore.
"Your favourite patients back,"
Billie O'Connell's home isn't a sanctuary - it's a war zone. With parents who scream more than they speak and a house that feels colder than the streets, Billie would do anything to escape. And she does - through a loophole that lands her in the hospital night after night, just for a few hours of peace and quiet.
But loopholes don't stay hidden forever.
Harley works on the paediatric mental health unit. She's seen kids like Billie before - but none of them have gotten under her skin quite like this. Billie is sharp, guarded, and heartbreakingly young. And when Harley breaks protocol to give her a lifeline - a phone number scribbled on a napkin - their connection deepens into something neither of them expected.
As nights turn into weekends and hospital visits turn into sleepovers, Billie finds herself wanting things she never thought she'd have: a warm bath. A soft voice. A home. A hand to hold when the world gets too loud.
And maybe... love.
But love isn't simple - not when it's built from trauma and quiet, stolen moments. And Billie's world isn't done breaking yet.
A tender, aching story of survival, found family, and the kind of love that heals from the inside out.
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