Shimano (嶌野)

Cinder, an ashen-haired orphan, was treated as a filthy ash and forced into slavery, living a miserable life. Her only companion, a small bird named Sim, offered her solace. Then one day, news revealed that Cinder was the descendant of the "Goddess of Light" and the only daughter of the Iljesta family! Thus, Cinder became the daughter of the Marquis overnight. Freed from the torment of her past and living a different life, Cinder gradually regains her self-esteem as she takes on the name "Lumiella" (Light). Embarrassed by her first "family," she finds love among her kind older brothers, and her life as the Marquis' daughter begins...!

Diana married the elderly Marquis Casper for certain reasons and lived a peaceful, happy married life. But Casper suddenly died in a carriage accident, leaving Diana a young widow. Consumed by grief, she intended to leave everything to his grandson Albert and his lover and follow Casper in death. Yet the will that was opened revealed a shocking condition: the inheritance of the title and estate depended on “one year of marriage between Albert and Diana.” To honor the late Casper's trust, Diana accepted the contractual marriage, vowing to watch over Albert until he could stand alone as the heir. Meanwhile, Albert, who knew Diana only through rumors calling her a “wicked woman,” suspected her motives were for the inheritance and treated her coldly. Yet, as Diana selflessly supported him despite her own pain, Albert's heart gradually began to waver. He found himself drawn to her... Crossed hearts, past wounds, and a state conspiracy over the inheritance intertwine, propelling the story toward an unexpected turn...A heart-stirring dramatic romance that begins with a contract marriage.After the sudden death of her elderly husband, Diana becomes a young widow. Just as she’s ready to give everything up, a shocking will forces her into a one-year contract marriage with his cold and suspicious grandson, Albert. What begins as a duty to honor the past soon turns into a complicated romance, as buried emotions, past wounds, and a national conspiracy unfold. A dramatic love story born from a reluctant union.

To save Alexis (her “ultimate favorite” from a past life) from falling into darkness, she decides to enter a contract marriage with the young Alexis, a boy who has lost his family. During their married life, she gives Alexis all her affection, as he has suffered abuse from his family for being an illegitimate child. Then, three years later, just as the contract stipulates—“We’ll divorce when Alexis comes of age”—she leaves his side, carrying a secret. A wife who vanishes without a trace, hiding a secret, and a husband who ends up losing the memories of the woman he loves. Two people who must have chosen different paths, yet reunite unexpectedly eight years later. And to top it off, Alexis has become an emperor known for being cold and ruthless…?! A sweet, thrilling, and mature love story in which, even though they keep thinking of each other, they continue to miss each other at every turn.