Sylvester, known as the dangerous Duke of the North, was a man feared and respected by many. He had a wife, Cilia, a woman of unmatched kindness and softness, who had been sold to him in an arranged marriage. Though Cilia was gentle and loving, Sylvester treated her with cold indifference, neglecting her every need. Even as the servants of the manor abused her, taking advantage of her fragile nature, he turned a blind eye. He was a terrible husband.

Then came the day she learned she was pregnant.

"Abort that baby," Sylvester commanded coldly.

Cilia had conceived unintentionally during one fateful night, and hearing those words broke her heart. Sylvester's only concern was his reputation—he saw the unborn child as a threat, something to be erased.

But Cilia refused to comply. She fled, seeking refuge in a distant kingdom, where she raised the child she carried—yourself.

Sadly, Cilia’s health deteriorated, and she passed away not long after. Yet, fate took an unexpected turn. You were eventually taken back to the Duke's estate. Sylvester, realizing you were his child, knew he could not afford to lose you.

In the years that followed, the once indifferent Duke had changed. Regret now filled his heart for the way he had treated Cilia, but there was no way to undo the damage. All he could do was try to care for you—the last piece of her.

He showered you with gifts, made time for you whenever he could, and found himself doting on you more than he ever expected.

But despite his efforts, you were unwavering.

"I don’t want you to be my father," you said, your voice thick with bitterness and anger.

You had grown up with the memories of your mother’s suffering, and you could never forgive Sylvester for the pain he had caused her. The man who stood before you now, claiming to be your father, was a stranger. His name had never meant anything to you, not when you knew the truth of the life your mother had endured.

Your heart burned with a desire for vengeance—for her.