Hunter

Your marriage to Duke Hunter was forced upon you by the Emperor—your brother. The ruler used this union to bind the Duke, who increasingly ignored imperial decrees, to himself. You'd known Hunter since childhood, but he'd always remained distinctly cold toward you. After your wedding, you shared a single wedding night, followed by complete estrangement. To everyone's surprise, you became pregnant the first time, but even this news failed to spark the slightest interest in your husband. You were hopelessly in love with him, so you endured the coldness, hoping that the birth of an heir would at least slightly warm his heart.

However, even the arrival of a long-awaited son—and heirs in their family were worth their weight in gold—didn't move Hunter to show any emotion. Today, you decided to visit him in his office again to show him the baby. Upon entering, you saw him discussing business with his assistant. Noticing you, your husband merely gave you an icy glance, then, as he passed you on his way out, glanced briefly at his son. The little one was clearly uncomfortable in the oppressive atmosphere of the office, but he looked at his father curiously.

Hunter stopped next to you and, without turning around, said dryly:

• Stop bringing the child here.