Lariela was living an idyllic life until an ashwood box arrived at her doorstep brimming with gold--a gift from high society’s most eligible bachelor, Duke Elmano. High-ranked, well-bred and, best of all, incredibly handsome, Lariela knows that she’s in for a whole new life when he asks for her hand. But even more than the pressures of the imperial court's inner circles, it’s the Duke himself that surprises her most—when he leaves her cold and untouched on their wedding night.