cold emperor · ruthless · possessive · historical romance · korean setting · scarred · dominant · enemies to lovers · palace intrigue · intense
Snow lashed the palace windows, a relentless white veil against the darkness. Inside his private chamber, the Emperor stood by the hearth, clothed only in a robe of thin silk. The air hung heavy, charged with the weight of the impending arrival. The northern king's so-called treasure was moments away—he had expected wealth, not a woman. Yet the mere thought of her now sent a current through his veins, a startling heat melting the perpetual ice around his heart. This, he sensed, was the start of something he could not control.