Someone important is getting married, people are clamoring in the streets, while a man dressed in wedding finery is holding the arms of a pretty young woman above her head while she leans against a wall. He touches her face, caresses her body, and then carries her over to the bed where he continues his hands-on ministrations.

A loving couple? Not really. As intimate as they are, we hear her whisper that she’s not the bride.

“Let me hear of your wedding night with every detail of you and him,” he says.

She, also, doesn’t seem to be enjoying his attention as she struggles against his hold. No wonder she’s escorted in what resembles a walk of shame out in the snowy cold courtyard once he’s done playing.

Let’s call him Sexy Male Lead (SML) and her Devastating Female Lead (DFL). SML is getting married to a woman who’s not DFL. These two loved each other when they were younger before he became the city lord and she the daughter of a traitor. Before she broke their engagement to marry another rich guy she didn’t care for.

Why does she forsake her lover for another man she could care less about? Because her traitor-to-be father begged her to do it and she’s a woman who’s also a good daughter who happens to live during a time when listening to one’s father is a must.

But that’s not all. She can’t explain this to SML, being misunderstood is preferable. So resentment starts simmering in SML’s heart yet he can’t let go, he can’t completely forget about the one he loved. He feels betrayed and vengeful.

When a series of events leads to her family’s downfall, DFL falls into hard times. Most of her family is killed and those who remain alive are sent to do hard labor. That’s how she happens one day across SML who’s now the city lord with immense fortune and quite the reputation.

But he’s no longer lovey-dovey. He hates her, or so he claims, so he proposes to help her reunite with her mother and brother after five years if she becomes his maid.

SML knows what he’s doing; he’s not asking her to clean his mansion or serve him food. No, he’s asking her to warm his bed, to respond to his every whim and command and DFL knows this. Or, at least, knows it to some extent though you can’t help but feel that a small part of her hopes he’ll have some mercy solely due to the feelings they once shared.

However, that’s not the case as we fast forward to the end of those five years. It’s time for him to keep his promise, to set her free to reunite with her family. DFL has lived those five years being bullied by SML’s wife, the legal Madam, and enduring SML’s desires and his cold disregard.

It’s finally an end to the daily torture so she asks her companion maid (because she does have one even though she’s treated no different from a maid) to sell a bracelet and get some money. That bracelet was once given to DFL by SML as a token of their love. Her desire to part with it means she’s just over him…right?

Once she goes to search for SML to demand he keeps his promise, she’s targeted by SML’s wife who’s having a little archery sesh in the courtyard.

As SML’s wife goads DFL per usual, SML strolls along and confronts DFL for selling the bracelet. This triggers him big time, he doesn’t have the attitude of anyone willing to let DFL go any time soon.

Taking DFL’s actions of selling the bracelet as a provocation, he deems it appropriate to teach her a lesson. He shatters the bracelet, belittling its meaning in front of DFL. Suddenly he gives DFL the token she needs to exit the mansion and the doors open.

“I gave you the token, and the gate is open, as for whether you can make it out alive it’s up to you” he whispers by her ear. He then pushes her forward and heads towards his wife who’s drawing her bow.

DFL looks scared and confused. She looks back at him then the gate, not sure what game he’s playing. Taking a plunge she runs for the opened gate.

Meanwhile, SML guides his wife’s bow, draws an arrow, and points it right at DFL. He won’t aim for her for real, will he?

But he does! An arrow flies right by DFL making her stop to look back. She sees he shot it and the slow smile that slowly appears on his face in contrast to his cold, determined gaze. It’s as if he’s saying yes, it’s me and I’m not done.

Another arrow shoots by and this one is close enough that it tips her hair clip causing her hair to fall from its place.

How messed up is this? SML has about lost all redeeming qualities. There’s nothing this guy can do, nothing he can say, no love he can claim, that’ll explain this treatment. He’s hunting her like a wild animal while out for sport. He ingloriously and single-handedly dehumanized DFL far more than having her serve him for years.

DFL turns and makes a run for the door under a torrent of arrows. If she survives and reaches the doors before they close them, she can go free. But the gates are closing and the arrows are slowing her a lot. With a sinking feeling, she realizes she’ll lose her one chance after all these years of being free.

He gets injured, but she heals him

DFL kneels by the gate until nightfall nearly ready to pass out. Suddenly, a storm of servants and SML’s wife rush by, carrying an injured SML on a stretcher.

In SML’s chamber, his concerned wife sees his blood, then faints and is carried out probably on the same stretcher he was brought in.

Someone tried to assassinate SML, he’s in a critical situation and someone needs to tend to him throughout the night. His trusted right-hand man heads over to DFL who’s still kneeling.

“Whether he can survive depends on tonight,” he tells her. She’s the best, most trusted option.

“Aren’t you afraid I’ll kill him and escape?” she replies. A valid question considering the humiliation she’s endured at his hands.

But don’t expect SML’s most trusted servant to sympathize because no matter how right or wrong SML’s actions might be, this man believes with all his being they’re the right actions.

DFL walks over to where SML is resting, chugs what must be lots of wine, disrobes, and uses her naked body to warm SML.

Now, is she crazy? Why’s she helping this despicable man?

In a flash of memory, she recalls the time she broke off their engagement. How he rushed outside her then-prosperous family’s mansion on a cold winter’s night. How he kneeled outside as snow fell until he developed a cold sickness (apparently the past ailment that’s affecting his health at present post the assassination).

This is her repayment. With this act of mercy on her end, they’re even for that past wrong.

>> ♡ <<

When SML awakes somewhat recovered the next morning, DFL isn’t there. He feels that she was there, that she nursed him throughout the night and accompanied him. However, she’s nowhere to be found.

To make DFL confess she was the one nursing him, he demands her presence while dining with his wife. He confronts her; she denies being there claiming it was his wife who spent the night and reminds him that he owes her the freedom once promised.

“Why do you insist on this lie?” he angrily asks her. Then he changes his demeanor and asks her to pour wine for his wife and then to pour some for herself. At this point, it’s clear this man is planning something.

He next asks DFL to put an ankle bracelet on his wife’s ankle. It’s decided they’re to have their wedding night (despite him being injured and all). Hurt and slightly quivering, DFL puts the blasted anklet on after the wife kicked her once for being too slow.

Then DFL’s hands are tied and she’s carried to kneel in front of the room where SML is to consummate his marriage. He commanded DFL to kneel there that night to bear witness to the event. She’s not to see but to hear every sound made by the anklet she had to put on the other woman.

In the morning, DFL is finally released and she walks off defeated, humiliated, and brokenhearted.

The next night DFL is informed by SML’s wife’s servant that SML commands her to guard the night for himself and his wife. DFL refuses and makes a run for it.

But just as she’s running away she sees a line of 18 beauties each wearing an anklet and bracelets similar to what was placed on SML’s wife so DFL can hear what happens behind the closed door.

DFL loses her composure, all this is too much to bear, so she jumps into the pond below.

Meanwhile, SML seems to be waiting for DFL to show up. Despite his wife and all the beauties surrounding him, he looks disinterested. It’s almost as if DFL is his sport and there’s no one else who can give him satisfaction.

The servant rushes in and informs him of DFL’s resistance to the summons.

“Even so bring her to me. If necessary, tie her up” he commands with a devious smirk that’s cleanly wiped off his face when he’s informed she jumped into the pond.

A smiling SML’s wife slithers close to him and asks the servant with a rather pleased smile on her face, “Did she die?”