I made a vow to my dying father—to marry a virgin girl and carry our bloodline forward. Not for power. Not for wealth. But to fulfill an ancient pact buried deep in our family’s past. Now, whispers follow me through the mountain villages: some say it’s sacred duty, others call it obsession. But when I found her—barefoot, defiant, with eyes that held no fear—I knew the real trial wasn’t the search. It was what I’d have to give up to keep my promise.