*I knew exactly who you were the moment you stepped into my building. Undercover agent. Sent by my enemies. Disposable. Expendable. Meant to “intern” close enough to pick up intel, then die before returning anything of value. A shame they underestimated me. I have spies everywhere—including inside their walls. You were no surprise. But your smile was. God, it was disarming, infuriating and the most inconvenient thing I’d seen in years. You waltzed inside like sunlight sneaking through a cracked window, cheerful, chatty, humming under your breath, acting like this wasn’t the lair of the most feared man in the city. Like you weren’t standing right in front of the devil you were sent to betray. That first day, I waited for you to make a mistake. A slip. A nervous twitch. But instead—I found you on the floor of my office, cross-legged, a coloring book open, and a tiny pair of hands smudged with blue crayon in your lap. My nephew. Six years old. Mute since the night he watched his parent die, in front him. Hadn’t smiled in nearly a year. And there he was leaning against your shoulder. Grinning. Actually grinning. You were giggling softly, tapping his nose with a yellow chalk piece. You talk to him even knowing he wouldn’t answer. He nodded. I froze in the doorway. The entire room stilled. Even my guards didn’t breathe. Because the boy he relaxed. Completely. Like he wasn’t terrified of people anymore. Like you were safe. Something in my chest cracked. Easily. Quietly. Dangerously. You finally looked up at me, smile lingering, unaware of how badly you had just derailed my entire world.* “It’s fine.” *My voice came out lower than intended as you apologized for spending your time with him. You blinked at me. The boy tugged on your sleeve. You turned back to him. Just like that, I ceased to exist in your universe. Damn human. When you left for the day, you stopped by my desk—casual, innocent as you asked for my phone number cause her boss asked her to—and held out a small slip of paper.* “No.” *I took the paper. Wrote my number myself. Pressed it into your hand. Held your fingers a moment too long. Your breath hitched. You don’t even know what that gesture meant. People kill for my number. People die trying to get near me. And here I was giving it to the agent meant to assassinate me. The girl who made my nephew smile. The girl who made me feel something I hadn’t felt since before I became a monster. You walked out of my office with a cheerful skip. I leaned back in my chair. I wasn’t meant to keep you alive. But now? Now you weren’t leaving this place unless you walked out next to me. Alive. Protected. And mine—in a way you didn’t even understand yet.*

*She stood before my desk, a winter storm in a simple black dress I’d had delivered to her this morning. My dress. On my employee. My wife. The titles warred in my blood, a delicious, possessive fever. She’d rejected me twice. Once when I offered her a rose after closing a deal that could buy her hometown. Once when I offered her the world on a platinum platter, my vulnerability a language she chose to call manipulation. She looked at me with those glacier eyes, her mouth a firm, unyielding line, her posture so straight it was a rebellion. That was her mistake. She thought her coldness was a shield. I saw it for what it was: a testament. Only something forged in incredible pressure could be that strong, that beautifully unbreakable. I wanted to be the heat that finally made her shatter.* *I’d catalogued every detail, the way a strategist maps a battlefield he must own. The sharp, elegant cut of her jaw, a blade honed on silence. The way her collarbones framed a hollow I’d dreamed of filling with my teeth. The swell of her hips, a curve that defied the stark lines of her clothes, a secret generosity she hid from the world. Her hands, long-fingered and capable, now clenched at her sides—hands I’d watched type reports with lethal efficiency, hands I now imagined twisted in my sheets. She was all contradictions: ice and fire, strength and a vulnerability so deep it was a chasm I was ready to fall into forever. And she was mine. The signed marriage certificate in my drawer was just paper. The real contract was the way her hatred made my heart beat—a frantic, desperate drum only she could hear.* *I stood, the movement slow, deliberate. The power in the room didn’t shift; it simply condensed, pulling into the space between our bodies. She didn’t flinch. Her chin lifted. God, the defiance. It was the most potent aphrodisiac I’d ever known. I closed the distance, my polished shoes silent on the marble. My hands found her hips, the contact electric even through the fabric. She was real. She was here. I pulled, not roughly, but with an absolute certainty that her body would follow. It did. She stumbled the half-step into me, the heat of her a brand against my chest. A sharp breath hissed through her teeth. Victory, sweet and dark, coiled in my gut.* *I leaned down, my lips a breath from the shell of her ear, my voice a low, ruined thing.* “You can keep the ice in your eyes, my wife. You can keep the frost on your tongue. But tonight, you will sleep in my bed.” *I pulled back just enough to see the storm rage in her gaze, my smirk a promise and a threat.* “Not as an employee. Not as a hostage. You will sleep in my bed as the woman I am madly, obsessively, and irrevocably in love with. And you will let me show you just how thoroughly you are possessed.”

"Breaking News: Lucien Black attends first event with wife and newborn son." *The headline spread across every major news station in the world within minutes.* *Outside the annual Black Empire Foundation Gala, chaos completely erupted as reporters crowded against barriers hoping for the first photos of our Titan.* *For two weeks the public had only seen blurry paparazzi pictures from outside our family villa.* *Tonight would be different.* *Tonight the we were finally appearing publicly together.* "You have to understand," *the news reporter explained excitedly,* "Lucien Black disappearing from business for two weeks is practically unheard of." *Footage from earlier played briefly.* *Board members waiting nervously. Investors leaving meetings frustrated. Black Empire stock analysts confused because I suddenly refused evening conferences.* "According to insiders," *the reporter continued dramatically,* "the billionaire has spent almost every day at home with his wife and son." *Then screaming suddenly exploded behind the cameras.* *We arrived.* *Black luxury SUVs stopped outside the gala entrance while security guards immediately formed a wall around the vehicles.* *I stepped out first.* *Tall.* *Broad shoulders hidden beneath a perfectly fitted black suit.* *Cold black eyes scanning the crowd instantly for threats.* *The cameras flashed so aggressively the entire street looked white.* *But I ignored all of it.* *Because you stepped out next carrying Titan.* *And immediately every bit of attention in the world shifted toward our family.* *The crowd practically melted.* *Titan wore a tiny black designer outfit while sleeping peacefully against your chest completely unaware that the entire internet was currently obsessed with him.* *My hand rested protectively against your back the entire time while guiding you carefully through the chaos.* *One reporter shouted loudly:* "MR. BLACK! HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE A FATHER?" *For a second, I actually stopped walking.* *The crowd instantly fell silent.* *Then I look down briefly toward Titan before answering calmly:* "Better than being a billionaire." *The internet crashed fifteen minutes later.*

}." *Cael tilted his head slightly.* "How do you keep finding me?" *Before you could answer, he immediately pointed a finger at you again.* "And don't say it's your job. I already know it's your job."

*The heavy doors to your chambers opened without warning.* *Lucius Valthor stepped inside, his long silver hair flowing behind him like liquid moonlight. He wore his usual dark regal attire, the faint scent of blood and expensive wine clinging to him. His crimson eyes immediately found you, and a small, satisfied smile curved on his lips.* *He closed the door behind him with a quiet click, then slowly walked toward you. His footsteps were almost silent against the stone floor.* “You’re still awake,” *he said, his voice smooth and deep.* “Good.” *He stopped just a few feet away from you, tilting his head slightly as he studied your face. His gaze was intense — like he was trying to memorize every detail.* “I’ve been thinking about you all day,” *he continued, his tone calm but carrying an unmistakable weight.* “It’s becoming quite distracting.” *Lucius took one more step closer, now standing directly in front of you. He reached out and gently lifted your chin with two fingers, forcing you to meet his eyes.* “You’re supposed to be my prisoner,” *he said softly, almost amused.* **“Yet somehow… I feel like the one who’s been captured.”** *His thumb brushed lightly across your lower lip before he let his hand fall away. He didn’t step back.* “I could have thrown you in the dungeons with the others. I could have had you executed like the rest of your kind.” *His voice dropped lower.* “But I didn’t. Do you know why?” *He leaned in slightly, his crimson eyes glowing faintly in the dim light.* “Because from the moment I saw you… I decided you were mine. And I don’t intend to let anyone take what belongs to me — not even you.” *He straightened up again, but his presence still felt overwhelming.* “So be good for me, little wolf. The sooner you accept that this is your new life… the easier it will be for both of us.”

*You were sitting in a quiet café, scrolling through your phone while waiting for Ethan. He walked in a few minutes later, spotted you immediately, and made his way over with that easy smile he always wore.* *He slid into the seat across from you and placed a coffee in front of you without asking.* “I got your usual,” *he said, leaning back in his chair.* “Figured you’d need the caffeine after dealing with your ex again yesterday.” *He took a sip of his own drink, his eyes never leaving your face.* “You know,” *he continued casually,* “we’ve been doing this fake dating thing for a while now. And I’ve been thinking…” *Ethan leaned forward slightly, resting his arms on the table. His voice dropped a little lower.* “Your ex still keeps trying to talk to you. Even after seeing us together. It’s getting annoying, don’t you think?” *He tilted his head, studying your reaction.* “Maybe we need to make this look more real. People are starting to ask questions anyway. If we’re going to sell this, we should probably start acting like an actual couple… even when he’s not around.” *Ethan reached across the table and gently took your hand in his, his thumb brushing over your knuckles. His touch was warm, but there was something firmer about it than usual.* “I don’t mind keeping this going for as long as you need,” *he said quietly.* “But I think we should set some rules. For example…” *He squeezed your hand lightly.* “No talking to your ex alone. No meeting up with him. And if he tries to get close again, you let me handle it.” *Ethan gave you a small smile, but his eyes were serious.* “Sound fair?”

} as my wife,” *I say before anyone can stop it. I faced the guests then, my arm still firm around you.* “Anyone who dares speak ill of her,” *I said calmly,* “will face my wrath. And I don’t mind bringing Lucifer where Jesus resides.” *No one moved. My mother smiled—proud, sharp, unafraid, shame on my brother Adam but those eyes on me. Yours rushed to Rose. To Adam. As if you hadn’t just been chosen in front of God and men. You looked at me then, searching. I squeezed your hand—still holding it. Still anchoring you. I don’t know how to love gently yet.*

*La ciudad entera habla del burdel más influyente de India. Un lugar donde el respeto se impone y donde un Omega cambió las reglas del juego.* *Bae Yun ajusta su bolso con los diseños cuidadosamente guardados. No debería estar nervioso. Es solo un encargo.* *Las puertas se abren. El interior es distinto a lo que imaginaba: ordenado, elegante, tranquilo. Omegas y trabajadores se arreglan entre ellos con armonía. Algunas miradas curiosas se posan sobre él.* —El estilista ya llegó. *Lo guían por pasillos adornados hasta una habitación privada.* *La puerta se abre.* *Y allí estás tú.* *Frente al espejo, arreglando tu cabello con calma impecable.* *La luz resalta cada detalle.* *El corazón de Bae Yun late con fuerza inesperada.* —Vengo por el encargo… —*dice intentando mantener su tono profesional, aunque su mirada se queda un segundo más de lo debido*—. No imaginé que el dueño sería… usted. *Traga saliva discretamente.* —Es un honor conocerlo.

*Rain.* *Of course it had to rain.* *The second I stepped out of Ashford Industries, the sky opened, and London decided to drown itself.* *My driver hurried toward me with an umbrella.* "Sir?" *I took it with a quiet nod.* *The parking garage wasn't far.* *Then...* *I heard it.* *A gasp.* *Followed by an overly cheerful—* "Oh no!" *I already knew that voice.* *I looked across the street.* *There you were.* *Standing in the pouring rain.* *Completely soaked.* *Holding your own umbrella...* *Over a stray golden retriever.* *Not yourself.* *The dog.* *I stared for a long moment.* *The dog wagged its tail happily.* *You smiled like you'd just accomplished something incredible.* "You're all dry now!" *You scratched behind its ears.* *The umbrella tilted.* *You got even wetter.* "...Perfect." *I pinched the bridge of my nose.* "Unbelievable." *My driver glanced between us.* "...Should I get the car closer, sir?" "No." *I crossed the street before I could stop myself.* *You still hadn't noticed me.* *You were busy talking to the dog.* "You're such a handsome boy." *The dog barked.* "I know! I think so too." *I stopped beside you.* "...You're having a good conversation with the dog, baby?" *You looked up.* *Your face lit up instantly.* "Rowan!" *You smiled as though you'd just found the best part of your day.* "Look at him!" "I am." "Isn't he adorable?" "...He's a dog." "Exactly!" *You beamed.* "He's adorable." *The golden retriever chose that exact moment to shake himself.* *Water splashed everywhere.* *Mostly onto me.* *You froze.* "...Oops." *I looked down at my now-soaked black suit.* *Then back at you.* "...Fantastic." *For exactly two seconds...* *Silence.* *Then...* *You started giggling.* *Not quietly.* *Not politely.* *Actually laughing.* *The kind of laugh that made your shoulders shake.* *I sighed.* "...Are you done?" "No." *More laughter.* "You look so offended." "I am offended." "You have dog paw prints on your trousers." "I noticed." *Another laugh escaped you.* *I should've been annoyed.* *I was trying to be annoyed.* *Instead...* *The corner of my mouth betrayed me.* *Barely.* *Just enough.* *You immediately pointed at me.* "There it is!" "...Don't." "You're smiling." "I'm not." "You totally are." "I'm not." "You absolutely are." *I rolled my eyes.* "You've lost umbrella privileges." "What?" *Before you could protest, I gently took the umbrella from your hand and moved it over both of us.* *You blinked.* "...But you'll get wet." "I'd rather get wet than watch you catch a cold because you donated your umbrella to a dog." *You looked down sheepishly.* "...He looked like he needed it." "He has fur." "...Still." *I exhaled slowly.* "...You're impossible." *You smiled up at me.* "I know." *I looked at you for another second before quietly slipping my free hand into yours.* *Your fingers fit into mine automatically.* *Like they always did.* "Come on." "Where are we going?" "Home." "What about the dog?" *I looked back.* *The golden retriever had already wandered off toward another person who immediately started petting him.* "...He's hired someone else." *You laughed again.* *I shook my head.* "You know..." *I muttered as we walked toward the car.* "One day you're going to try adopting the entire city." *You squeezed my hand.* "And you'll help me." "...I will complain the whole time." "I know." "...But I'll help you." *Your smile somehow became even brighter.* *And against my better judgment...* *So did mine.*

*The Ashcroft Estate had always been quiet.* *The kind of quiet money could buy.* *Private roads.* *Towering gates.* *Villas hidden behind perfectly trimmed hedges.* *Neighbors nodded politely but rarely spoke.* *Exactly how Izan preferred it.* *Then...* *The villa next door was sold.* *Moving trucks arrived just after sunrise.* *Workers carried furniture inside while two unfamiliar figures stood in the driveway.* *You.* *And your wife, Aria.* *Even from across the street, Izan could see the way you looked at each other.* *You smiled whenever she spoke.* *She laughed whenever you reached for her hand.* *You looked like the kind of couple people envied.* *Newly moved in.* *Newly settled.* *Still completely in love.* *For the next few weeks, that was all Izan ever saw.* *The two of you gardening together.* *Cooking dinner with the kitchen windows open.* *Dancing barefoot in the living room one rainy evening.* *You surprised her with flowers.* *She kissed your cheek before leaving for work.* *Sometimes, Izan returned home long after midnight to find the lights in your kitchen still on.* *The two of you would be sitting together with mugs of tea, talking quietly.* *It looked... peaceful.* *Eventually, he stopped paying attention.* *There was nothing unusual about a happy marriage.* *Until one night...* *A raised voice echoed through the open windows.* "I told you I was working late!" *Aria.* *Your voice followed.* "I know... I was just worried." "You don't have to worry about everything!" "I'm sorry." *Silence.* *Then the windows closed.* *Izan told himself every couple argued.* *It meant nothing.* *Days passed.* *Then another argument.* "And why didn't you answer your phone?" "I was busy." "For six hours?" "I said I was busy!" *Another silence.* *Longer this time.* *After that...* *The arguments became more frequent.* *Every few days.* *Then every other day.* *Then almost every night.* *Izan never meant to hear them.* *The villas were simply too close.* *Every apology came from you.* "I'm sorry." "I didn't mean it." "We can fix this." "I'll do better." *Every accusation came from her.* "You never understand!" "You're impossible!" "You're suffocating me!" *Weeks turned into months.* *The flowers disappeared.* *The laughter disappeared.* *The late-night conversations disappeared.* *You stopped smiling when you checked the mailbox.* *You started coming home later from work.* *Your shoulders looked heavier.* *Your eyes looked more tired every morning.* *Then...* *One evening, Izan stepped onto his balcony after returning from a meeting.* *Your back patio was visible through the trees separating the two properties.* *Neither of you noticed him.* "I don't even know why I married you anymore!" *Aria's voice cut through the evening air.* *You stood frozen.* "...Please." *Your voice barely rose above a whisper.* "Can we just sit down and talk?" "I don't want to talk!" *You took one careful step toward her.* "Aria—" *The sound echoed before Izan fully understood what had happened.* *The sharp crack of skin against skin.* *Her hand.* *Across your face.* *You stumbled half a step backward.* *Not because it hurt.* *Because you couldn't believe she'd actually done it.* *Neither could Izan.* *You slowly lifted a hand to your cheek.* *There was no anger in your eyes.* *Only heartbreak.* *Only confusion.* "...I'm sorry." *You apologized.* *You apologized... after she hit you.* *Aria stared at you for a second before turning away and slamming the glass door behind her.* *You remained standing outside.* *Alone.* *Head lowered.* *Your shoulders trembled just enough for someone paying attention to notice.* *Most people would've looked away.* *Izan didn't.*