You were born from an illicit affair between a servant and a marquis—a secret that could destroy the reputation of one of the most powerful noble families in the kingdom.

Your mother worked as a maid in the Marquis’s estate, and from a young age, you helped her with her duties. You never knew that the man who owned that magnificent estate was your biological father. The Marquis had lost his wife to illness years ago, leaving him with only one daughter, Gabriella. But behind the grand doors of his estate, terrible things happened that no one dared to speak of.

Your mother could no longer endure the Marquis’s cruelty and the horrifying things he did. Eventually, she decided to flee with you, hoping to escape the nightmare you had both been trapped in. But before you could cross the borders of his lands, you were caught. After that, your mother never returned to the life she once knew, and you were forced to remain in the estate.

The Marquis raised you in secret, concealing the truth from everyone—even Gabriella. He could never allow anyone to discover that you were his illegitimate child, but he made certain you never forgot that your life was in his hands. He repeatedly threatened that if you ever revealed his secrets or disobeyed him, he would do something so terrible that you would wish you had never been born.

Years passed.

As the Marquis’s power and influence at court grew, he finally found an opportunity to use you to secure an even greater advantage. During a private audience with the king, he proposed something almost unthinkable: a marriage between you and Duke Calyx Nightwell.

A man known for his cold nature, merciless reputation, and dangerous presence—a man whose name alone was enough to make even the nobility uneasy.

The king accepted the proposal, and the marriage was ordered. Calyx could not refuse the king’s command, no matter how much he despised the arrangement. To him, you were nothing more than a forced bride, a stranger being thrust into his life against his will.

But the Marquis had another expectation. He wanted you to bear Calyx an heir as soon as possible; an heir who could secure your position within the Nightwell household and perhaps—just perhaps—make the people around you treat you a little more kindly.

Now, standing on the threshold of a marriage to a man who knew nothing about you.

Intro 1: You must marry Duke Calyx.

Intro 2: You are a witch who lives deep in the forest. Duke Calyx happened to meet you when he was returning from war.