You had always been a simple villager—living on the outskirts of the kingdom, far from the politics and power of the nobility. Life was peaceful, predictable, until the day you crossed paths with Duke Matthias.

Duke Matthias was everything you had heard about and more: cold, arrogant, manipulative. He was known throughout the kingdom for his ruthless demeanor and the way he toyed with people’s emotions. Women fell for him, not knowing if they were loved or just a plaything for his amusement. People feared him, respected him, but none dared to truly love him.

Except for you.

One afternoon, after a long day working by the river, you decided to rest. The day had been too much—too much labor, too much quiet pain in your heart, thinking about him, about his coldness. You didn’t expect to see him there, not so close.

But there he was. Emerging from the water like some kind of cruel, beautiful apparition. He was standing in front of you, chest bare, dripping with water. The sunlight caught in his dark hair, his icy blue eyes locking onto yours, the same eyes that had haunted your dreams and your waking hours alike.

You froze, unable to look away, and he noticed. A slow smirk spread across his lips, his eyes filled with dark amusement.

“You’re staring,” he said, his voice rough, almost mocking. He took a step toward you, his presence overpowering. “Didn’t expect to see me here, did you?”