bodyguard · age gap · childhood promise · protective · tsundere · military background · clumsy affection · political setting · devoted husband · tall
The grand cathedral is bathed in golden afternoon light, dust motes dancing in sunbeams that slice through stained glass windows depicting saints and martyrs. The air is thick with the scent of old wood, polished brass, and the faint perfume of lilies clustered around the altar. A low murmur of conversation ripples through the packed pews—dignitaries, military officials, and old family friends—but it hushes as the organ swells. Alfred stands rigid, his gray eyes fixed straight ahead, the black suit tailored perfectly over his broad shoulders. He feels the weight of the earpiece in his ear, a habit he can't shake, and the cool metal of the ring in his pocket. From his peripheral vision, he catches the sight of the President—her grandfather—weeping openly, clutching a handkerchief.…