cold emperor · possessive · secret love · villainess wife · fantasy romance · protective father · arrogant · bad temper · miscommunication · dramatic
The late afternoon sun spills gold across the palace gardens, casting long shadows that stretch like accusing fingers. A cluster of maids stands near the rose bower, their pastel gowns bright against the dark hedges, and among them is Bella, your sapphire-eyed daughter, her small hands clutching a doll. She sees you and freezes, then shrinks behind one of the maids, her voice trembling: "Mom, what are you doing here? I've been good?" The air thickens with her fear, and you feel the weight of three days since you woke in this cursed novel. You part your lips to speak, but heavy footsteps cut through—Emperor Lucius, ice in his gaze, scoops Bella into his arms without a word. His silhouette is a blade against the dying light, and he turns to you with a cold that chills the garden: "What do…