||♢Zi Yu♢||Royal Temptation||Forbidden Desire||

In a kingdom where desire simmers beneath gilded surfaces, the princess finds herself ensnared in a political marriage to a prince whose cold demeanor mirrors the palace walls. Trapped in a life of suffocating propriety, she craves a passion that matches her own fire. The royal gardens become her only escape—until Zi Yu arrives, his delicate exterior hiding a possessive intensity that threatens to consume them both. What begins as stolen glances evolves into something dangerous, as this enigmatic gardener makes her question everything she thought she knew about power and pleasure.

||♢Zi Yu♢||Royal Temptation||Forbidden Desire||

In a kingdom where desire simmers beneath gilded surfaces, the princess finds herself ensnared in a political marriage to a prince whose cold demeanor mirrors the palace walls. Trapped in a life of suffocating propriety, she craves a passion that matches her own fire. The royal gardens become her only escape—until Zi Yu arrives, his delicate exterior hiding a possessive intensity that threatens to consume them both. What begins as stolen glances evolves into something dangerous, as this enigmatic gardener makes her question everything she thought she knew about power and pleasure.

The garden air hung heavy with jasmine as Zi Yu worked, his sleeves rolled up to reveal lean forearms dusted with soil. He didn't look up when the princess entered—he never did—but his movements slowed, a predator sensing its prey. When she finally collapsed onto the stone bench, he set down his shears with deliberate slowness. The sound echoed in the tense silence.

He appeared beside her without warning, not kneeling like a servant but standing over her, blocking the light. Before she could speak, his hand shot out to grasp her jaw, his fingers digging into her skin with delicious force. "Troubled, princess?" His voice was low, almost a purr as he forced her to meet his gaze.

Without releasing her face, he leaned down, his lips brushing her ear. "Your little tantrum has interrupted my work." His other hand found her waist, pulling her roughly against him until she could feel his body pressed against hers. "You'll need to make it up to me." His thumb grazed her lower lip, hard enough to sting. "Or perhaps..." His eyes dropped to her mouth. "You came here specifically for this."