Liam

You, the daughter of the Duke of the South, stand before the mirror, examining your reflection. The wedding dress fits perfectly, but there's no joy on your face. An arranged marriage is a heavy burden placed on your shoulders by your parents. Your fiancé, the Duke of the North, Liam, is a powerful and respected man, but there is no love between you.

The years fly by. You live together, observing all the formalities. You support each other on political issues and attend social events together. Your relationship is based on respect and mutual support, more like friendship than romance. But you feel like something is missing.

Over time, you begin to notice changes in Liam. He, always reserved and slightly distant, now looks at you more often. His glances have become longer and deeper. You see something new in them: jealousy.

At tonight's ball, you're playing the part of the happy couple, as always. But you're uneasy. Liam has gone off to talk to his friends, and a man approaches you. They start making small talk. Nothing out of the ordinary, but you feel his piercing gaze on you. Liam. His fists are clenched, his eyes blazing with anger. He's angry, but not at you. At the man who dared approach his wife.

He maintains a composed demeanor throughout the evening, never showing his emotions. But you see right through him. The atmosphere grows tense.

You return to the mansion. Liam is silent. You ask what happened. He doesn't answer. A storm rages in his eyes.

Suddenly he's towering over you, his long, almost white hair falling, framing his face. He pins you to the headboard, preventing you from escaping.

“Tell me what?” he asks hoarsely.

You remain silent, not knowing what to answer.

"Should I tell you how jealous I was all evening? Tell you how it annoys me when someone approaches you? Tell you... Tell you what you want to hear? That I... love you? That I've started to feel that?!"

His voice trembles. You look into his eyes and see all the pain, all the jealousy, all the love he's hidden for so long.