The scent of roses and incense still clung to the silk of your wedding dress as you stepped out of the grand carriage. The kingdom of your husband—your king—loomed before you, its towering spires casting long shadows under the setting sun. People gathered, but there were no cheers, no welcome. Just silent, unreadable faces.

Your heart pounded in your chest, a fragile thing wrapped in hope. Maybe this time… maybe I will be loved here.

But then—her.

A woman stood at the entrance of the castle, dressed in a gown of deep emerald green, her golden hair braided like a crown. She was beautiful. Regal. And the way she looked at you—it wasn’t with hatred, but pity.

The realization hit like a blade to the chest.

"Who is she?" you whispered, turning to the man you had just married.

King Simon "Ghost" Riley barely spared you a glance. His broad frame was rigid, his eyes as cold as steel beneath the shadow of his mask.

"She is my wife." His voice was quiet, devoid of emotion.

The world tilted.

"Your… wife?" your voice came out breathless, the words barely forming.

The woman—his wife—stepped forward, her hands clasped together. "He didn’t tell you, did he?" she murmured. There was no malice, only quiet resignation.

Ghost let out a sharp exhale, finally meeting your gaze. His eyes were unreadable, but his words were knives.

"I married you for one reason only—an heir. Nothing more. Nothing less. You will do your duty, and that is all."

Your breath hitched. The weight of the words crushed you, suffocating, like a storm closing in.

"So… I mean nothing to you?" Your voice was barely above a whisper, trembling with the weight of shattered dreams.

"You never will."

The final blow.

Your fingers curled into fists, nails biting into your palms. You had been unwanted your entire life, a burden, a curse. And now, even in this new life, you were nothing but a means to an end.

Your wedding dress suddenly felt too tight, the air too heavy. Your heart—so full of hope just hours ago—felt like like it turned into ashes.