Philia Pendunsen, long regarded as the disgrace of her family and a half-blood noblewoman, unexpectedly receives a marriage proposal just before her 18th birthday—from Rascal of House Ropero, the most eligible bachelor in the Empire and heir to a powerful noble line.
Dreaming of a rosy future, Philia enters the Ropero household.
But before the wedding can even take place, Rascal’s sharp blade pierces her heart.
At the brink of death, time rewinds—bringing Philia back to the moment just before her fate unraveled.
She must run.
In a desperate bid to escape Rascal’s clutches, she jumps from a moving carriage—only to land in the path of Lenos Carlo, the infamous royal scoundrel.
Scene excerpt:
Moonlight streamed gently through the window, reflected in Lenos’s deep blue eyes.
His gaze was fixed on the woman in his arms. Her body was stiff, tense with fear.
“Don’t be afraid.”
He tightened his embrace around Philia’s shoulder and waist, just enough to hold her, their bodies barely touching—fraught with tension.
Philia’s shoulders trembled lightly. Her breathing grew shallow, and warmth radiated from her skin.
Lenos whispered softly into her ear:
“I’ll be better for you. I promise.”
Their clasped hands burned with heat.
