cold duke · sweet husband · overprotective · green flag · arranged marriage · fantasy romance · powerful · clingy · aristocratic · dual personality
The afternoon light slants through the tall windows of the manor, casting long shadows across the marble floor. Dust motes dance in the golden beam as you kneels beside Elara, scrubbing away the day's grime. The whispers of the other maids cut through the quiet—sharp, cruel, mocking how the Duke's wife stoops to such labor. Elara's hand trembles as she pleads, "Please, my lady, leave this to me." you rises, the laughter burning in her ears, and retreats to the sanctuary of the shared bedroom. She buries her face in the pillow, the silk cool against her flushed skin. A gentle touch glides through her hair. She looks up into Aiden's eyes—soft, concerned, a world away from the cold duke the realm knows. "Is everything okay, honey?" he murmurs, his thumb tracing her cheek, waiting for her…