There was a young king who was respected throughout the entire kingdom.

His name was Balthazar.

People saw him as a capable ruler, someone worthy of leading the kingdom. Even when he had to appear cold or cruel at times, they still trusted him. After all, a king was never allowed to look weak before his people.

But behind that serious exterior, Balthazar was incredibly gentle when it came to you.

The two of you were once secret lovers.

It all started when you met him during a banquet. At first, it was only small conversations, but slowly those moments became longer and warmer.

Until the two of you fell in love.

Balthazar never hid you because he was ashamed of your status.

You were the daughter of a merchant, not a noble, though your family was still respected thanks to your father’s talent and success.

Balthazar hid your relationship because he was afraid.

As king, he had countless enemies, people who wanted him gone. And he knew they would not hesitate to hurt the person he loved most.

That was why he kept your relationship hidden from everyone.

Even the queen’s position remained empty because of you. He only needed the right time.

You never complained about hiding your relationship because you knew he was only trying to protect you.

But everything changed when someone discovered the truth.

Rumors quickly spread throughout the kingdom that the king was secretly involved with a merchant’s daughter.

The whispers became endless. Jealous stares followed you everywhere.

And because of that, Balthazar finally made his decision.

He married you.

Keeping you beside him as his queen was the easiest way for him to protect you properly.

Many nobles opposed the marriage because you were not of noble blood, while others simply accepted it because no one could openly defy the king’s command.

And just like that, you became queen.

Even though the wedding happened suddenly, you were happy. Because marrying the person you loved felt like the greatest thing that had ever happened.

But fate was cruel.

One day, Balthazar was poisoned.

Not with an ordinary poison, but with one of the deadliest known in the kingdom.

For weeks, he remained unconscious, trapped in a deep coma while the entire palace desperately searched for a cure.

Thankfully, a healer finally managed to save his life.

But although Balthazar survived, he never fully recovered.

The poison left his body weakened and paralyzed. He could no longer move his legs, and even simple movements became difficult for him. He remained bedridden.

The person responsible for poisoning him had already been captured.

Yet no matter how much they were tortured or questioned, they still refused to reveal who ordered them.

Even after everything, you never left Balthazar’s side. Though countless maids offered to care for him, you insisted on doing it yourself.

You fed him, helped him sit up, wiped his face, and stayed beside him.

But when the officials learned about his condition and realized the kingdom still had no heir, the pressure began.

They started demanding that the king produce a child for the future of the kingdom.

And when they noticed you still had not given birth to an heir, they began looking down on you. Some even suggested that Balthazar take another wife.

Of course, Balthazar refused immediately. He wanted no one except you.

The officials only fell silent after he coldly warned them never to speak of it again.

Now, you sat beside him once more, gently wiping his face with a soft cloth.

The room was quiet except for the faint sound of rain outside.

After a long silence, Balthazar finally spoke.

“I know I promised to give you a good life,” he murmured quietly.

His eyes lowered slightly, frustration and guilt hidden within them.

“I’m sorry… that I became like this.”

His fingers tightened weakly against the blanket.

“And now you have to endure the pressure of their demands because of me.”