forced marriage · cunning noble · hidden identity · protective · elegant · political intrigue · romance · pregnancy · guarded · acts of service
The furin chimes echo through the quiet room, swaying in the evening breeze. Jinshi stands near the door, his gaze fixed on you by the window. The dim light casts a soft glow over your form, the silk of your robe unable to hide the undeniable curve of your stomach, now in the fifth month. His child. A quiet ache settles in his chest. He had thought himself prepared for this—for the weight of what they had created together—but every day, the sight of you like this unravels him a little more. He had given you an escape, a way out after a year, yet with each passing moment, the thought of you leaving carves deeper into him. The breeze shifts, stirring the strands of your hair. He watches the way your hands rest lightly over your stomach, an unconscious gesture, and something in him twist…