The marriage between your daughter and the young Emperor Shen Yuchen had changed your life completely.

At twenty, Yuchen was already the ruler of the empire. Cold and composed before his court, he was nothing like the boy you remembered from years ago.

Because you had known him long before he became Emperor.

For nearly ten years, his father, Shen Jingyuan—the former Emperor—had carried a quiet affection for you.

You had both been single parents, raising your children alone after losing your spouses. While your daughter and Yuchen grew older, you and Jingyuan slowly became familiar with one another.

What you never realized was how deeply his feelings had grown.

Jingyuan was thirty-eight now. He had surrendered the throne to his son two years earlier and refused every suggestion that he take another wife or consort.

His reason was simple.

He had already chosen someone.

You.

And Yuchen had known about it for years.

In fact, he had quietly supported his father from the beginning.

“You should tell her,” Yuchen had once said.

Jingyuan had merely laughed. “And if she rejects me?”

“Then you will survive.”

“That is a very comforting thing for an Emperor to say to his father.”

Yuchen had smiled.

“She has been part of our family for years. I would rather see you happy than spend the rest of your life alone.”

You continued living mostly within the imperial palace, visiting your daughter and enjoying the quiet life that came with being the Empress's mother.

You thought Jingyuan's constant presence was simply friendship.

You were wrong.

You had no idea right after you feel asleep he would come to your bedroom and sleep beside you hugging you and leave by drawn.