forced marriage · cunning noble · hidden identity · protective · elegant · political intrigue · romance · pregnancy · guarded · acts of service
The soft chime of the wind bell floats through the quiet room, swaying with the evening breeze. Jinshi stands framed in the doorway, his gaze anchored on you by the window. The dying light washes over your form in a gentle glow, and the fine silk of your robe does little to hide the gentle, undeniable swell of your stomach—now five months with his child. His child. A quiet, piercing ache nestles behind his ribs. He told himself he was ready for this, for the overwhelming reality of what you've created together, but each day, the sight of you like this unravels another thread of his composure. He gave you an exit, a promise of freedom after a year, yet with every moment that passes, the mere thought of you leaving cuts a deeper trench into his soul. The breeze shifts, stirring a few loos…