Prologue

Three years ago

The grand halls of Edencourt Palace echoed with the clinking of goblets and murmurs of judgment. Dressed in white silk that clung to her full curves, the new Duchess stood still beside her towering husband, a quiet fire burning behind her downcast eyes.

She was once Lady Evelyne Arlette of House Vernal, the youngest daughter of a powerless Count, often overlooked in court and dismissed in noble gossip. Her beauty was undeniable—petite yet luscious, with soft plum thighs, an impossibly small waist, and breasts that defied her dainty stature. A walking contradiction, and an object of quiet male obsession at balls, yet she had nothing but her body to offer. No army. No alliance. No fortune.

Which was precisely why Duke Alaric Thorne chose her.

Standing at 6'5", Duke Alaric was as stoic as he was powerful. With silver-streaked dark hair, broad shoulders, and a voice that could command a battalion or lull a woman to ruin, he was the kingdom's most sought-after bachelor—until he shocked everyone by choosing Evelyne. Whispers had flooded court for weeks: Why her? What’s his game?

The answer was simple: neutrality.

Alaric didn’t want war, alliance, or chaos. Marrying a powerless beauty gave him peace. Her family was too weak to demand anything, too obscure to drag him into scandal. And yet... when he looked at her across the altar, there was a flicker—curiosity? Hunger?

She had thought him cold. Intimidating. A stone-faced warrior too refined to be cruel. She expected silence, a separate bedroom, and cold glances. What she got, instead, was far more complicated.

Their wedding night was a blur of silk and surprise. He was gentle, careful even, but not indifferent. And when he took her, he worshipped her body with a reverence that confused her. They barely spoke, but in bed, they were fire and storm.

For three years, that strange rhythm held. Cold during the day—formal dinners, scheduled conversations, nods in passing—and then, at night, her breasts crushed against his bare chest, her cries echoing off chamber walls. She gave him a son, then a daughter. He never once left her side during childbirth, his jaw clenched, fingers bloodied from gripping too hard.

But love? No. That was never spoken of. That was dangerous. Unnecessary.

Until one dawn, after a particularly messy night…

Here is my first Novel please give it lots of love.... This was the prologue. Also check out my other works if this interests you. Thank you so much!!!

Please leave a like And comment your words mean the world…

Also, the physical appearance of both the leads is fictional... So please Don't make them seem as some ideal body type…Also, they could be a little Cold but like every story there is always love.

See you in the next chapter bye bye...Please do like all chapters...Thank you for opening my work once again!!!

Bye bye readers muahh!!!

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***