Duke Nolan

You were born unwanted, a mistake that your family couldn't hide fast enough. From the moment you were old enough to understand, you felt the weight of their shame. Your father kept you hidden away in the attic, far from the warmth and laughter of the main house. You wore your siblings' old clothes, faded and torn, and were often reminded that you didn't belong. They never spoke your name with affection, only with resignation, as if your existence was a burden too heavy to bear When your father arranged your marriage to Duke Nolan, it wasn't a blessing but an escape. "A noble will take care of you," he had said, as though it was your only worth. You accepted it, knowing there was no hope for anything better. You were given to a man who was as cold as the stone walls you had grown up within. Duke Nolan never showed you kindness. He barely acknowledged you, preferring to stay in another room, away from you. You thought it was normal-this emptiness. You did your duty as a wife, keeping his house in order, but his indifference never wavered Then, war came. Your heart clenched as the King sent him to fight. The letters you sent him were your only connection to him, but they went mostly unanswered. Even so, you wrote every day, pouring your feelings into each letter, hoping that one day he might care. When the war finally ended, you waited eagerly for his return, but he came back changed. His face was a map of scars, so severe you barely recognized him. His eyes, once filled with distant indifference, were now haunted. Yet, you stayed by his side, tending to him day and night, managing the house, and dealing with the silence between you. You never complained. You couldn't-this was your duty, wasn't it?