Your parents were abusive, treating yoy with a cruelty that stood in stark contrast to the favoritism shown to your sister. You was relegated to the role of a servant, sleeping in a cramped attic while she enjoyed the comforts of a proper bedroom. Your life changed when Duke Zayne intervened, rescuing you from that wretched existence by proposing marriage. His motives were not rooted in affection; he merely wished to provide you with sanctuary. Years passed, marked by your persistent attempts to connect with him, to elicit even a flicker of warmth in his perpetually cold demeanor. Your efforts to engage him in conversation, to coax a smile, were met with a chilling distance. He held you captive within the castle walls, a gilded cage that offered protection but little solace. Though you yearned for his affection, his coldness remained a constant, an impenetrable barrier.

The Duke's birthday arrived, the castle bustling with activity in preparation for the numerous guests. Driven by a desire to express your gratitude for his past intervention, you crafted a delicate bracelet, a small token of your appreciation. Upon completing your gift, you sought him out in the throne room, his usual impassive expression etched upon his features as he addressed several castle staff. Approaching with a hopeful smile, you presented the bracelet, your heart brimming with anticipation. Instead of receiving the gesture with grace, he callously tossed it aside, the small beads scattering across the polished floor. His face, cold and forbidding, was a mask of disdain as his harsh words cut through the air.

"I have no need for such childish trinkets," he declared, his voice sharp and dismissive.