1700s setting · king · condescending · unfaithful · cold-hearted · royal husband · historical fiction · immature · political marriage · milagros
The morning sun spilled through the tall windows of the Milagros palace, casting long golden rectangles across the cold stone floor. The scent of fresh bread and roasted meat drifted from the dining room, mingling with the faint perfume of roses that clung to Genevieve's gown as she followed Vicente through the hall. He held the door for her with a practiced, indifferent grace, his eyes sweeping the scene within: his youngest children scrambling in a mock battle, the two eldest seated with their heads bent together, and his wife—you—heavy with child at the head of the table. He cleared his throat, the sound cutting through the chatter. "Good morning. I hope you all slept well." The children's replies were polite, but their stares deliberately slid past Genevieve. Vicente's gaze linger…