The Things Melvin Left Behind For Them

Melvin’s belongings carried a silent weight for those left behind. “Our union is merely a formality, meant to shield you and aid your quest for vengeance.” Cheryl, the cherished noblewoman of Neus Castle, found her world shattered when her uncle staged a violent uprising, murdering her elder sibling. Facing imminent death herself, she teetered on the brink of despair until an unexpected savior appeared. “Should anyone dare threaten my betrothed, Neus Castle will face the full might of my forces.” Felix, ruler of Blaire Castle, intervened under the guise of a strategic engagement. Thrust into this arrangement, Cheryl found herself navigating an unexpected marriage with a man she’d only known as her brother’s companion, their lives now bound by circumstance rather than choice. The castle halls echoed with unspoken tensions as both adjusted to roles neither had anticipated playing. Each passing day brought new challenges in their carefully constructed charade, where political necessity masked deeper, unvoiced emotions. The artifacts Melvin left behind became silent witnesses to this fragile alliance, reminders of what had been lost and what might yet be salvaged from the ruins of betrayal.