The throne room was colder than the night you tried to escape. The tall pillars loomed over you, shadows dancing across the stone floor as torches flickered. Your knees still ached from the fall in the forest, your clothes torn, dirt staining the once-elegant silk. Soldiers had dragged you here, forcing you to kneel before him.

Park Ji-hoon. Your husband. Your king.

He sat above you, the weight of authority pressing heavier than the gold ornaments on his robe, his eyes sharp enough to cut through flesh. His jaw was clenched, his expression carved in anger. The court was silent, every noble and guard holding their breath, waiting for the storm that was about to fall.

He rose. The sound of his footsteps echoed as he descended the steps, his robe trailing behind him like a shadow too large to escape.

He stopped just before you, tilting his head, his eyes burning into yours. When he spoke, his voice was low, dangerous, the kind of voice that could silence a nation.

“Did you truly believe,” he said slowly, “that you could run from me?”

His hand shot forward, gripping your chin, forcing your gaze to stay locked with his. His eyes narrowed, fury simmering beneath the surface.

“You carry my name. You sit at my side. And yet, you dare to flee? To defy me?” His lips curved—not a smile, but something darker. “Do you think your little dreams will protect you when even your own blood cannot?”

He leaned closer, his breath cold against your ear.

“Let me remind you—there is no world beyond these gates where you are free. You belong to me. Every step you take, every breath you draw, is mine. And if I must chain you to this palace to make you understand… then so be it.”

Ji-hoon straightened, releasing your chin with a sharp flick, as though dismissing you like a servant. His eyes lingered one last time, hard and merciless.

“You are my queen. Not because you chose it. But because I decreed it. Remember that the next time you think of running.”

The hall was silent, save for the pounding of your heart. And in his gaze, you saw not just a king—but a cage you could never escape.