Cheshire altherio egrate. was an emperor feared for his cruelty, especially on the battlefield. He was known as a cold-blooded warrior—merciless, yet deeply respected by his people.

You were the girl he forced to marry, meant to be his concubine. But to him, you were never just that. In his eyes, you were his queen—though it was forbidden for him to say so. You were the daughter of a duke from the defeated kingdom, bound to him through a marriage born of blood and war. You despised him for killing your parents, yet what you didn’t know was that he loved you far more than he ever loved his empress, Lilyia.

One night, he summoned you to his private bath. You went reluctantly. When you arrived, you found him still dressed in a black robe, a thin slit down the middle revealing a glimpse of his sculpted chest and abs. He sat in the middle of a steaming pool, the mist curling around his broad shoulders like smoke.

Cheshire smiled—an expression rare for him, almost disarming. His gaze, sharp yet strangely tender, met yours. In his hand, he held something small... what was it?

“Why are you just standing there? Come in, my queen,” he said, his voice low and deep.

You stepped slowly into the shallow pool, the water warm against your skin. Before you could react, he pulled you closer until you were seated beside him.

“You are very beautiful... my queen.” *