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"Christine... would you reward me with the honor of marrying me?"
Ruskin stopped when the ominous sentence hit his ears. He turned around to see who was proposing to whom and his gaze fell to the young man who was kneeling in the grass of the Hyde Park. In front of him, a blond girl was standing who put her hands before her mouth as she heard the question. Her surprise only lasted for a few seconds and Ruskin saw that her eyes began to get wetted by the tears. Then, not caring about her manners anymore, she bowed down and wrapped her arms around the young man's neck. Ruskin rolled his eyes when he heard the answer.
"Yes. Yes, I would."
Ruskin grimaced and continued walking before the pair started to get into more intimate actions which would force him to murder the newly engaged couple on the spot. There were only a few things Ruskin loathed more than engagements. It boiled the blood in his veins when he came across one. It was surely fate's cruel play that he kept running into proposing pairs... when he had absolutely no chance to do the same with the one he loved the most in the world and whom he considered to be his other half.
His employer, Charles Auguszus Milverton.
Ruskin knew that he should be careful and never let it happen, but in the end, he was not strong enough. He slowly but steadily fell in love with Mr. Milverton during the years when he worked for him. He was aware that this was the worst case scenario and he was doomed, but he was unable to fight his feelings. He did everything to chase his forbidden love away by making a list about why Mr. Milverton was not anything he ever needed - how eccentric he was, how many times Ruskin needed to get him out of trouble - but he needed to realize that he loved even those traits he listed as a reason why not to fall for Mr. Milverton. Actually, the more he thought of it, it was understandable why he was now in love with the other man. Mr. Milverton always treated him with kindness and respect, and the salary he paid was more than satisfying. But Ruskin also grew fond of the other man's sense of humor, his silly ways of comparing himself to the Devil and his evil speeches. On top of that, Mr. Milverton didn't just brag into the thin air when he talked about his own power and brilliance. He was indeed intelligent and a genius in his own games. And, while it was really the last thing what came to Russkin's mind when he remembered Mr. Milverton, but he was very handsome and his golden eyes were able to mesmerize him, making Ruskin's heart beat faster whenever he looked at him. Ruskin loved him from all his heart, it was no surprise in the end. But with all he grew fond of Mr. Milverton, the man was still one thing which made it impossible for Ruskin to ever confess - his employer. He was smart enough to know that there shouldn't be anything between employer and employee.
Just like the young man he saw a few moments ago, Ruskin wanted to fall to his knees in front of Mr. Milverton and tell that he loved him and wanted to spend the rest of his life on his side. He wished to propose to him, even if only symbolically, because the same sex couldn't get married in their era - yet, he was bursting to ask if Mr. Milverton would... Ruskin let out a sigh and closed his eyes. He knew that he would be able to turn Mr. Milverton's heart towards him - but this would change nothing in their power imbalance. Mr. Milverton was above Ruskin and he was his secretary. Nothing good would come out of it if they would ever be.
Well, they can never be.
Ruskin clenched his fist from the anger, he envied the freshly engaged couple so much. He loathed them as much as he loved Mr. Milverton. It was unfair that they can experience happiness that Ruskin can't.
Unfair.
But, Ruskin continued his thought process while an evil smile formed at the corner of his mouth, this was not something that he could not correct. If he can't experience the same joy, then the couple won't do it for long either. He will make sure of it.
Murder can break up anyone.