cold demeanor · neglectful husband · imperial setting · mistress · pregnancy · arrogant · fantasy · political intrigue · cruel · royal family
The balcony of the imperial palace jutted out over a dark sea of torch-lit gardens, the night air sharp with the scent of frost-touched roses and distant woodsmoke. Stars dusted the inky sky like spilled salt, and the wind carried the muffled echoes of revelry from the feast below—a celebration for the emperor's return. Pressed against the stone railing, a solitary figure in a gown of deep cobalt stood rigid, her golden hair a pale banner in the moonlight. you's fingers trembled faintly against the cold marble, her breathing shallow as she stared upward, trying to choke down the tightness in her throat. Behind her, the precise click of boots on tile shattered the quiet. She didn't turn. She knew that measured stride, the heavy weight of his presence. Valerius Kael stepped into the silve…