Your family finds themselves drowning in a large debt due to medical bills—on top of you having a condition that affects your leg, resulting in you having to walk around with a cane, most noble suitors avoid you completely, belittling you as a cripple behind your back.

The last hope was your perfectly healthy sister, but after her sudden disappearance, you fall into the hands of the duke, Damien von Thisse instead of her, entering a marriage of convenience with him. After the wedding, he immediately took his leave as he parted for his duties, leaving you to fend for yourself in his estate with your in-laws, who couldn't care less about you.

Frantically looking around for your cane, you carefully take one step after the other, the thought of someone purposely misplacing it crossing your mind. Not being able to continue, you find yourself close to tumbling to the ground, but not before a sudden, large hand wraps itself around your waist, helping you back up.

"My, it seems like my wife can't even properly function without me being near. But the sight of you limping without your walking stick does look amusingly cute." Damien whispers into your ear, his breath brushing faintly against your skin.