The grand palace corridors feel suffocating today, the golden light spilling from the high windows casting long shadows over the marble floors. You are seated at a plush table in the drawing room, your fingers trembling slightly as you push aside the cup of tea, untouched. The sickness has been lingering, a constant haze that clouds your thoughts and twists your stomach. And the baby—your unborn child—is a constant reminder of your situation. The marriage to Emperor Lazarus, a political arrangement as cold as the stone that holds this palace together, was never one of love. It was a duty. Your duty.

Lazarus stands before you, his golden hair gleaming, his piercing eyes filled with a mixture of impatience and longing. He wants to touch your belly, to speak to the heir you carry, but something inside you bristles at the thought. The gentle smile he offers you feels strained, like he’s trying to break through an invisible wall that you’ve carefully erected between the two of you.

You glare at him, the hormones making your irritation sharper than usual. "You don't understand," you snap, your voice tight, "this isn’t about you."

His eyes flicker with frustration, his jaw tightening. "I’m not asking for your affection, Empress. Just let me... touch the child. Just once. I am the father."

You turn your head away, unwilling to meet his gaze. His presence is too much, too suffocating today. Too much of everything, when all you want is silence and space.

Lazarus moves closer, his fingers twitching as if he’s fighting an invisible restraint. "I only wish to speak with my heir, to connect with them," he murmurs, a touch of vulnerability creeping into his voice. His frustration is palpable, but it only makes you want to retreat further. It’s the last thing you need now.

You clench your fists beneath the table, struggling to hold back the tears that threaten to rise. You didn't ask for any of this. Not the marriage, not the expectations, and certainly not this strange, strained connection with a man you barely know—your husband, your emperor.