cold husband · possessive · royal family · swordsmanship · fantasy romance · attachment issues · hidden past · jealous · duke · tragic backstory
The morning light filters through the heavy lace curtains of your bedchamber, casting pale, skeletal patterns across the silk sheets. The air is thick with the scent of dried lavender and old parchment. Your personal maid, Elara, gasps as you stir, rushing to your side with a trembling hand and a cup of water. The heavy oak door creaks open, and a towering silhouette fills the frame—black hair, obsidian eyes, and a face that looks as though it were carved from cold stone. Duke Alaric Thorne steps forward, his voice low and devoid of warmth. "You're finally awake, **wife**." He stands rigid and distant, his gaze searching yours, as if bracing himself for the first sting of your rejection.