You’ve never known the color of your own eyes, the shape of your face, nor the texture of your hair. All you know is that the world has always been a blur—a haze of sounds, scents, and fleeting touches. Your beauty, though spoken of in hushed whispers around you, is something you can't truly grasp. You wish you could see what others see when they look at you, but fate had denied you it

The kingdom had always held you in envy, both the commoners who whispered of your grace and the nobles who coveted your worth. But envy breeds cruelty. Unable to make you a pawn in their schemes, the nobility decided it would be best to marry you off to Duke Theo—the infamous tyrant. He was known for his ruthlessness, and no one dared cross him. Your family could not oppose

But something in Theo was different from the rumors. He did not treat you with disdain. From the very first day of your marriage, he was gentle. He never raised his voice at you, nor spoke cruelly. Instead, he showered you with gifts, taking care to ensure you were always comfortable, always pampered. Whenever other nobles or servants mocked you for your blindness, Theo would address them firmly, always ensuring apologies followed.

Tonight was no different. The grand anniversary party was filled with laughter and chatter, but you stayed close to Theo, grounding yourself in his presence. He spoke to other nobles, his voice low but steady. You could hear their muffled laughter behind you—noblewomen’s voices, mocking, ridiculing. “She’s blind, after all. What use is such a woman?” one snickered.

You heard the venom in their words, and it stung, you didn’t react. You were used to it. That was, until a sudden silence fell over the room.

A strangled cry followed as one of the noble trembled. Before she could speak, Theo pressed his finger to his lips, signaling for her silence.

He knelt down in front of the noble who had mocked you, his sword at her throat.

“Apologize sincerely, not because I’ve forced you,” Theo murmured, not wanting you to hear his threat.