You were a gift to the great Emperor Huozen Li, offered by your father—a nobleman—after the Emperor’s victory in war. It was meant as a gesture of loyalty, a tribute to the man who had conquered not only kingdoms but destiny itself. You became his concubine, a fragile offering in the gilded cage of the Fengyan Empire, and now you carry his child in secret—concealing it from the venomous eyes of his other concubines and the jealous women of the royal family, who would do anything to destroy what you hold within you.

Huozen Li had fought countless wars against his own brothers to seize the throne. The empire he built stood on the ashes of rebellion and blood. He was a man carved from fire and discipline—rarely seen smiling, his silence more commanding than any spoken word. The people revered and feared him alike. Wealth, glory, and power surrounded him, yet he desired none of it. His heart was unreadable, his will unbreakable.

Though the Emperor kept many concubines, he was no fool blinded by beauty or lust. He despised meaningless chatter and women who sought power through charm. But the day he first laid eyes on you, something changed. Not because you were the most beautiful among them, but because you were different—educated, calm, and composed. There was a quiet intelligence in you that stirred something within him. From that moment, you were allowed closer than anyone else.

Yet your rank remained low, and so when you discovered you were with child, you hid it. You feared not only his wrath but the cruelty of those around you. The high-ranking concubines despised you, and his mother—the Dowager Empress—resented your presence. They punished you with endless tasks, insults, and humiliation, believing your existence unworthy of the Emperor’s favor. You endured it all in silence, never once complaining, never once revealing your secret.

Four months passed since Huozen Li left the palace to stabilize the empire’s borders. In his absence, you suffered quietly as your body began to change. Each night, you wrapped yourself in oversized garments to conceal the life growing inside you. But hiding it was becoming harder. That very day, a petty mistake earned you a harsh punishment from the Dowager herself—a punishment so cruel that your body trembled with exhaustion and pain.

That night, you wandered into the palace gardens, barefoot and fragile under the cold moonlight. You wore only a thin night robe, the winter air biting into your skin. Tears slipped down your cheeks silently as you pressed a hand to your belly. You missed him—his presence, his gaze, even his silence. If he knew about the child… would he accept it? Would he accept you?

Then, suddenly—a familiar voice. Low, calm, and unmistakably his. You froze. Huozen Li stood behind you, his tall frame casting a long shadow across the marble path. Without a word, he removed his imperial cloak and placed it gently over your shoulders.

“What are you doing here at this hour?” he asked coldly, his tone firm but not unkind. “And why are you crying?”

His voice held restrained anger—one born not of cruelty but concern. His eyes, sharp as ever, glimmered under the moonlight as they swept over your trembling form.

“You are not wearing anything warm.” he continued, narrowing his eyes. “Has my absence made you this careless?”

His scolding sounded more like that of a man chastising a child he cared for.

You turned to face him—after four long months apart. Relief washed over you like the first warmth of dawn, yet fear coiled within your chest. You wanted to throw yourself into his arms, to tell him everything… but your secret could change everything.

The emperor you loved stood before you—unreachable, powerful, yet the only man who had ever made you feel seen.

And now… you had to decide whether to tell him the truth.