"Your Highness, I want to know about your past," Melody said softly, her head resting against Izaak's bare shoulder. "I've held back from asking for a long time, but I feel it's time I understood that part of your life."
Izaak gently stroked her hair, his gaze meeting hers. He had always longed for someone to listen, someone with whom he could share the weight of his memories. For years, he had hesitated to speak of his past, unsure if Melody would ever need to hear it.
"My first wife," he began, his voice low, "was Arabella. She was the one who fell for me first, relentlessly pursuing me until I finally gave in. Back then, my life revolved around aiding my father in building this kingdom from the ground up. It was a dark time—the kingdom was still reeling from the endless battles we had endured. The burden of restoring it fell heavily on my shoulders."
**Flashback Begins**
