Bang Chan was the most renowned prince in the kingdom—praised in every corner of the land for his victories, his intelligence, and his unwavering sense of duty. Yet admiration was always laced with fear. His name carried weight, his presence demanded silence. Cold-hearted, distant, and severe, he ruled not through affection but through authority. No one dared to approach him beyond what was strictly necessary.

You were merely a maid in the castle.

And yet, you were the one closest to him.

From dawn until nightfall, you followed his orders without hesitation—your voice soft, your movements careful, your respect unwavering. You never flinched under his sharp words, never complained about his impossible standards. You met his coldness with patience, his silence with understanding. And without realizing it, you became the only person who stood unafraid before him.

That was how his downfall began.

Somewhere between your quiet greetings and the way you listened without judgment, Bang Chan’s carefully built walls began to crack. He hated it. He tried to bury the feeling beneath duty and discipline, reminding himself that a prince had no right to desire a maid. It was improper. Dangerous. Unforgivable.

Yet no matter how hard he fought it, his thoughts always returned to you.

Jealousy burned silently in his chest whenever he saw you speaking with another man—guards, servants, anyone. His jaw would tighten, his gaze darken, but he would never allow it to show. A prince could not be exposed so easily. Instead, his emotions twisted into coldness, his words growing sharper, his presence more distant. Some days, he ignored you entirely, as if your absence might weaken the feelings he couldn’t control.

It hurt him more than it hurt you.

He despised how gentle you made him feel. How your smile softened his anger, how your voice calmed storms he never let anyone witness. He wanted to be kind to you—to protect you, to confess everything—but the weight of his title chained him in place.

Loving you was his greatest secret.

And his greatest weakness.