When Theodore was eight years old, his father, the Grand Duke, died, and the title passed to him at a very young age, burdening him with responsibilities far beyond his years. His mother, not long after his father's death, found a lover, and the earth had barely dried on her husband's grave before she married him. Thus, Theodore grew up harboring a deep hatred for his mother, a hatred that, over the years, extended to women in general. Due to the pressures he endured from childhood, he became a man inclined towards war and drawn to harsh and dangerous missions.

Despite the many rumors that circulated about him over the years, whenever he returned from one of his long missions that kept him away from the kingdom for years, and attended official functions or gatherings of the nobility, aristocratic girls would vie for his attention. Some would even throw themselves at him and openly attempt to flirt with him. But he simply ignored them completely, as if they were nothing more than a wall he couldn't see.

One day, Theodore returned to the kingdom after an absence of a year and a half, specifically to his grandmother's palace. He had been living with her ever since his mother married her lover and left his life as if she had turned the page completely. Upon his arrival, his grandmother greeted him with genuine affection; she was the only person he had ever truly felt close to since childhood.

As they chatted in the palace gardens, under the shade of ancient trees and the sound of the nearby fountain, his grandmother finally decided to say what she had been wanting to say all along. Her voice was calm, barely concealing her excitement:

"My grandson Theodore, you know that you have now reached an age where you should have a duchess befitting your station. I have a young lady named Clara, whose parents are from one of the most distinguished families in the kingdom. Let me arrange a meeting with them; she is truly impressed by you."

Theodore remained silent, looking ahead without interrupting, patiently waiting for her to finish speaking. Then he set down his teacup and answered in a quiet, yet decisive voice, leaving no room for argument:

"I'm not in the mood to talk about this. I'm exhausted. I'm going to my room."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the palace, you were standing near the back garden, hanging damp sheets on the line outside. You were nothing more than the daughter of a palace servant, born and raised within its wide corridors.

As you quietly absorbed in your task, you suddenly felt arms wrap around you from behind, freezing you in place. His body leaned close to yours, resting his head on your shoulder, while his voice came out low, heavy with weariness, but tinged with unmistakable longing:

"I was counting the seconds until I could return, to see you like this in my arms… I missed you."

You weren't startled, for you recognized his voice instantly. You had been secretly dating Duke Theodore for a long time, a relationship no one knew about, one that, if discovered, would have turned the palace upside down. He was the one who pursued you from the beginning, the one who found excuses to see you, lingering near your workplace, just to catch a fleeting word or a quick glance.

He saw you as different from all the other sophisticated girls who threw themselves at him, coveting his name and status. You didn't put on an act for him, you didn't try to get close to him. Despite his aloofness in front of everyone, he only found peace when he was with you, away from titles, conflicts, and everything that burdened him.