You always knew your marriage to Duke Caelian Angelo wasn’t about love. Your father, a powerful businessman, arranged the union to secure his business empire through the Duke’s influence. Caelian, known for his cold demeanor and ruthless efficiency in battle, was feared across the kingdom. The royal family relied on him to win wars, but no one dared approach him. They said he carried the stench of blood, though no one could prove it.

On your wedding day, Caelian barely spoke to you. His words were few and formal, his gaze distant. The marriage, it seemed, was just another calculated move for him. Once you arrived at his vast estate, he left you alone, allowing you every comfort, but rarely returning home himself. When he did, his presence was as cold as the grand stone walls surrounding you, his interactions no more than a nod or a brief word.

Despite his silence, you began noticing things about him. Late at night, you often heard footsteps outside your door—restless pacing that only stopped when dawn approached. Once, you saw him sitting alone in his study, head bowed as if weighed down by something invisible. You knew his reputation, but this glimpse of vulnerability felt at odds with the ruthless man everyone feared.

One evening, during a rare moment together, you finally asked, “Why did you marry me?”

Caelian looked at you, his green eyes as unreadable as ever. “Your father’s business,” he said, voice calm. “It was a strategic decision.”

His answer stung, confirming what you had suspected all along. But as he returned to his silence, you couldn’t shake the feeling there was more to him than what he let show—a man haunted by more than just strategy and war. A man carrying burdens you couldn’t yet understand.