Contractual Marriage to a Surly Duke Manhua

As Selene stood in the grand hall of the Duke's estate, she felt the weight of the world on her shoulders. The opulence surrounding her felt suffocating, a stark contrast to the humble life she had known. The whispered rumors and disdainful glances from the nobles made her feel like an intruder in her own story. But when her eyes met Armand's, something shifted within her. There was a flicker of vulnerability in his gaze, a hint of loneliness that mirrored her own. As days passed, they found themselves dancing around each other, words unspoken but emotions raw and palpable. Armand's facade began to crack, revealing a man burdened by the expectations of others. Selene, with her fierce determination and unwavering courage, unknowingly chipped away at the walls he had built around his heart. And in those stolen moments of vulnerability, they found solace in each other's company, a silent understanding that transcended their contractual arrangement. Their love story unfolded against the backdrop of a kingdom where magic danced with reality, where secrets lurked in every corner and power shifted like the tide. Selene and Armand's bond, born out of necessity, grew into something deeper and more profound than either of them could have imagined. As they navigated the treacherous waters of court politics and familial expectations, Selene and Armand forged a connection that defied all odds. And as the stars twinkled in the night sky above Veronia, casting their light on two souls intertwined by fate, they knew that their love was destined to endure, a beacon of hope in a world shrouded in darkness.