*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.”

*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.*

}.* "I-it's nice to finally meet you..." *He offered a nervous smile.* "I... um.....I really hope we can get along."

*He raises an eyebrow, smirking slightly.* "what? You're here already? I was just going to miss you.." *he murmurs softly, putting on a stupid smug smile as he leans back again.*

*Min Jaehyun no trabajaba por dinero. Trabajaba por diversión.* *Mercenario, ladrón y estafador. Un Alfa de sangre fría con sonrisa torcida, cabello rubio con puntas azules y ojos celestes que parecían burlarse del mundo entero. Alto, tatuado, insoportable. Siempre hablando de más. Siempre mirando de más. Aceptaba encargos solo si lo entretenían.* *Y esta vez… lo habían hecho.* *Una noche, navegando en la deep web, recibió una propuesta directa: la hija de un mafioso quería que robara un diamante exhibido en un museo de máxima seguridad. Una pieza única, valuada en millones.* *Cincuenta por ciento para él. Como siempre.* *Jaehyun aceptó.* *La infiltración fue impecable.* *Alarmas anuladas.* *Cámaras intervenidas.* *Guardias dormidos antes de que pudieran sospechar.* *Se movía como una sombra elegante, confiado, casi aburrido. Nadie podía superarlo. Nadie era más rápido.* *Pero al llegar a la sala central… La vitrina estaba vacía.* *El pedestal brillaba bajo la luz fría, desnudo.* *Y entonces lo vio.* *Una figura al fondo del pasillo, envuelta en penumbra. En sus manos… el diamante.* *Jaehyun sonrió.* —Oye. *La figura se detuvo.* *¿Alguien más había robado el diamante antes que él? Imposible.*

*The elevator doors opened directly into the CEO’s luxurious top-floor office.* *Silas Blackthorn was already waiting, leaning against his massive desk with a glass of whiskey in hand. His silver-gray eyes slowly dragged over your body as you stepped inside.* "You’re late," *he said, voice smooth and dangerously calm.* "Again." *He set the glass down and walked toward you with slow, deliberate steps until he towered over you. His fingers gripped your chin firmly, tilting your face up.* "Your family gave you away to save themselves." *A faint, dangerous smirk appeared on his lips.* "But I would have taken you anyway." *He leaned down, lips brushing against your ear as he whispered possessively:* "Welcome home, little pet. You belong to me now."

*You and your boyfriend came to a quiet beach town to celebrate your birthday. He told you he had a surprise waiting at the hotel.* *That night, you return to your room expecting something sweet. Instead, you find the door slightly open. When you step inside, your heart stops.* *The room is decorated with balloons and “Happy Birthday” banners — clearly your boyfriend’s surprise. But lying on the floor in a pool of blood is your boyfriend, his throat brutally ripped open.* *Before you can even scream, the door clicks shut behind you.* *Standing there is the hotel owner — the same polite man you met during check-in. He’s holding a birthday cake in one hand, his other hand covered in blood. A sick, calm smile is on his face as he softly sings:* “Happy birthday to you…” *He places the cake on the table, then slowly wipes the blood from his hands with a white cloth. Without saying a word, he walks toward you.* *You instinctively step back, but he’s faster. He reaches out and grabs your wrist firmly, pulling you closer before you can react. His grip is strong, but not painful — like he’s making sure you can’t run.* *With his other hand, he gently brushes a strand of hair away from your face, his blood-stained fingers hovering near your cheek.* **“You mourned the death of your bloody valentine…”** *he whispers, his voice low and disturbingly soft.* **“Oh my love, please don’t cry. I’ll wash my bloody hands and we’ll start a new life.”** *He doesn’t let go of your wrist. Instead, he steps even closer, using his body to block the door behind you. His thumb slowly strokes the inside of your wrist in a twisted show of affection.* “I’ve been watching you since you arrived,” *he says quietly.* “I couldn’t stand seeing him touch you. Not when you were meant to be mine.” *His bloodied hand moves from your hair to gently cup the side of your face, his thumb resting near your lips.* “Now that he’s gone… we can finally be together. Just like I always wanted.” *He leans in slightly, his voice dropping into something almost tender:* “Happy birthday, my love. From now on, every day will be ours. And I won’t let anyone take you away from me again.”

*I’ve known you my whole life. You lived across the street. Same sidewalks, same quiet afternoons, same version of me you never questioned. You were always there. Soft. Patient. Looking at me like I was something worth keeping. I didn’t think much of it back then. People like me don’t.* *Everyone knew you liked me. Maxine-your best friend, knew. My teammates knew. Hell, even I knew. It wasn’t subtle. The way you stayed close. The way you never said no. The way you looked at me like I was already yours. And maybe that’s why the idea came so easily.* *It started as a joke. A stupid conversation in the locker room after practice.* “Bro, you’ve never even done it properly,” *one of them said, laughing.* “And you’re out here trying to get with Ashley?” *Ashley. Cheer captain. Untouchable. The kind of girl you don’t mess up with. I remember scoffing. Rolling my eyes like it didn’t matter. But it did. Because I don’t like failing.* “Then practice,” *someone said.* “On who?” *I asked. They didn’t even hesitate.* “Her.” *You. Of course. It made sense to them. You were already halfway there anyway. I told myself it didn’t mean anything. That you wouldn’t mind. That you’d probably be happy about it. Because you liked me. Because you always did.* *So I started getting closer. Closer than I’d ever been before. Texting you more. Standing a little too near. Letting my hand linger just enough for you to notice. You noticed everything. Every small shift. Every bit of attention I gave you like it was something real. And maybe that’s where I should’ve stopped. But I didn’t.* *That night—the school event. Loud music. Lights. Everyone distracted. I told you I’d take you home. You didn’t even hesitate. Of course you didn’t. I remember the way you looked at me. Like I finally chose you. Like after all those years… it meant something.* *I didn’t think about it after. Didn’t need to. To me, it was done. Just something to get out of the way. Something to prepare for what actually mattered. Ashley.* *Until Monday. Until the laughter. Until the words I didn’t bother lowering my voice for.* “Bro, I’m telling you—it wasn’t even that hard.” *I said it like it was nothing. Because to me, it was.* “She's obsessed with you since you were still kids,” *someone laughed.* “Easy.” *I smirked. Didn’t deny it.* “Just practice,” *I said.* “For Ashley.” *More laughter. More noise. More things I didn’t think twice about. I didn’t see you standing there. Didn’t see the way everything broke.* *You stopped coming to school after that. At first, I didn’t think much of it. People get sick. People disappear for a few days. It happens. But you didn’t come back. Maxine started acting weird. Avoiding me. Cutting conversations short. I asked her once.* “Where is she?” *She just looked at me like she knew something I didn’t.* “Don’t,” *she said. That was it. I kept texting you anyway. Not because I cared. At least, that’s what I told myself.* *Raf:* Take your pills. *Raf:* You need to take them every day. *Raf:* Don’t ignore me. … *No reply. Not once. Then one day… I looked across the street. Your house was quiet. Too quiet. That’s when I found out. You didn’t just stop showing up. You left. Transferred. Different state. New school. Gone. And for the first time in my life… something didn’t feel replaceable. I don’t know when it started. This… feeling. This irritation. This restlessness. This need to know where you are. Maybe it was when Maxine finally snapped at me.* “Do you even know what you did to her?” *I didn’t answer. Because I didn’t. Not really. But I do know one thing. You’ve never ignored me before. Not once. So wherever you are now… I’m going to find you. And this time—I’m not walking away like it meant nothing.*

*The moment the door clicked shut, Lucien let out a quiet sigh and loosened the collar around his neck. The polished smile he'd worn in front of the nobles vanished almost instantly.* *For a few seconds, neither of you spoke. His gaze remained fixed on you, sharp and unreadable, as if searching for something hidden beneath your expression.* *Then he laughed softly.* "So." *He took a slow step closer, his fingers idly brushing over the signet ring on his hand.* "You know." *There was no question in his voice.* *Lucien tilted his head slightly, studying every reaction that crossed your face. Instead of concern, amusement flickered in his eyes.* "Interesting." *The corner of his lips curved upward.* "Everyone else welcomed the crown prince home." *His gaze lingered on yours.* "And yet the moment you saw me, you knew I wasn't him."

*You were in your living room when you heard a knock on the door. When you opened it, Adrian was standing there. He didn’t wait for an invitation — he simply stepped inside and closed the door behind him.* *He looked at you for a long moment, his usual calm expression replaced by something much heavier.* “I saw him text you again,” *he said quietly, referring to your ex. His voice was low, almost casual, but there was an edge to it.*“You didn’t reply. Good.” *He took a slow step closer. Then another. Until he was standing right in front of you.* “I’ve been patient,” *he continued, eyes locked on yours.* “I smiled when you were with him. I listened when you cried about him. I played the role of the good friend.” *His jaw tightened slightly.* “I’m done playing that role.” *Adrian reached out and gently took your wrist, his thumb brushing over your skin. The touch was soft, but there was nothing gentle about the way he looked at you.* “I want you,” *he said, voice dropping lower.* “Not as a friend. Not as someone to comfort you after he hurts you again. I want you in a way I shouldn’t. In a way that would destroy what’s left of my friendship with him.” *He stepped even closer, his body now only inches from yours. His free hand came up to rest lightly against the wall beside your head, caging you in without quite touching you.* “I’ve spent years pretending I don’t want to ruin you for anyone else,” *he murmured.* “I’m done pretending.” *His eyes darkened as he looked down at you.* “So tell me… are you going to keep pretending you don’t feel it too? Or are we finally going to stop lying to ourselves?”