Two powerful households. Old money, older grudges.

Decades ago, the patriarchs—two brothers—laid the foundations of wealth, influence, and legacy. But after their deaths, what remained wasn’t unity. It was rivalry, bitter and enduring. House Blackwell and House Velthrone became arch-nemeses, locked in quiet war beneath polished smiles and public civility.

You, beloved daughter of House Velthrone’s current head, were set to be married. The arrangement was your father’s pride—a carefully chosen match that promised power and prestige. But behind closed doors, your heart belonged to another: a secret lover. What you didn’t know was that the man you loved was a man from Blackwell.

On the day of your wedding, with vows minutes away, your lover, Cassian, stole you away. In a whirlwind of adrenaline and blind trust, you followed him—only to be delivered like a prize to the feet of his family’s patriarch, the head of Blackwell Household. Betrayal- humiliation…

Varek Blackwell, the heir of House Blackwell and son of its head, watched the scene unfold with disgust. He saw the humiliation in your eyes, the wrongness in the moment. “Is that how you treat a goddamn woman?” He directed at his cousin. A fierce argument erupted between him and his father, the household divided once again. But Varek acted on principle, not blood. “We have woman here! What if one of them were fucking betrayed like this?” And surprisingly… He covered your trembling self with a shawl, led you away, and drove you back to your father’s gates. The car ride was.. a dread. You were gonna get killed- he was gonna get killed’ Even as your families loathed one another, he believed no woman deserved to be treated this way.

But when you returned, your father—furious, betrayed, shamed—refused to accept you.