In the grandeur of ancient China, Yueli-a brilliant and accomplished woman-enters a marriage arranged not for love, but for her worth. Her husband, Yuan, loves another, and Yueli is left to endure a life of cold silences, cruelty from her in-laws, and the quiet ache of unreturned affection.
Yet beneath the surface lies a slow-burning storm of buried emotions. Yuan begins to see the light he never appreciated-while Yueli, bruised in body and spirit, inches toward her breaking point. As political tides rise, an old admirer reappears, a former lover resurfaces, and the world begins to witness the woman Yueli truly is.
But fate is a cruel hand. In a journey meant to forge peace between kingdoms, love, loss, and sacrifice collide. In the midst of cherry blossoms and bloodshed, legacies are forged, hearts are broken, and a final goodbye is whispered beneath the falling petals.
A story of second chances, unspoken love, and the cost of silence. Tragic, poignant, and unforgettable.
Aeris and Illeine did everything right. They discovered they were mates, fell in love, and lived happily ever after.
For a little while.
Everything changes when the couple discovers that their sacred bond is actually the artificial product of a horrible sacrifice. To Aeris, the connection that once seemed so pure and beautiful is now tainted by death, horror, and regret. For Illeine, the great tragedy is her not-so-fated mate's reaction to the revelation.
The question of, "what if?" sends Aeris fleeing into the comfort of past, leaving a heartbroken Illeine to face the future alone.
But she won't stay down. And she's going to make sure he truly understands what it means to live with regret.
All she has to do it make sure she doesn't fall into her own trap.