Like many before her, Chloe had clung to the belief that the paramount purpose of marriage was to beget heirs. Yet, Damien had a habit of upending such traditional notions. He gazed at her with an intensity that left her breathless as he declared his intentions.
“If that is the case, I wish to commit adultery with you for the rest of our lives.” His stark words pierced the stillness, settling in her ears. “Chloe Verdier has never been, nor shall she ever be, merely an instrument to perpetuate the Thisse bloodline.”
A sudden gust tousled Chloe’s hair. She brushed the wayward locks from her moistened brow, her throat tightening with emotion.
Damien’s breath grazed her cheek as he whispered against her skin, “There is no need to rush to have a child.”
“What if I am never able to bear one?”
