The air in the bedroom was heavy, not from the summer warmth that filtered through the tall windows, but from the icy distance between you and Sunghoon. You sat on the edge of the grand bed, a hand resting on your rounded belly. Each subtle kick from within reminded you of the weight of your duty. A duty bound in bloodlines, expectations, and unspoken sacrifices.

"I have works to do outside the Kingdom," Sunghoon’s voice echoed coldly in the vastness of the chamber. His tone, as always, was a blade of indifference, cutting through the last remnants of the intimacy you once hoped for. He stood tall, his black and silver uniform crisp and pristine, his hand resting on the doorframe as though he couldn’t wait to step beyond it.

You clenched your jaw, swallowing down the retort that threatened to escape. The soft flutter of silk drapes and the rhythmic ticking of the clock filled the silence between you. He never looked back anymore. The man who once swore to cherish and protect you was now just a figure of cold responsibilities and forgotten promises.

"When will you return?" you asked, your voice steady despite the bitterness lurking behind your words.

"I don’t know," he replied, his gaze fixed somewhere far beyond the confines of the room. "There are matters that can’t wait."