Chapter 1

My body slammed hard against the cold asphalt, lying in a pool of my own blood after the car driven by Edward—the man I believed was my soulmate—deliberately ran me down to leave me for dead. Beside him, my stepsister, Sasha, let out a piercing laugh while flaunting their newly minted marriage certificate.

"Olivia, thank you so much for transferring all those Martin Group shares to Edward. Now that you're crippled and completely useless, die in peace!" Sasha's vile words echoed with horrific clarity in my ears.

Yet, at the absolute precipice of death, a man came running toward me through the darkness.

Aethon. Aethon Kingsleigh.

My husband. The ruthless CEO of the Kingsleigh Group—the megacorporation holding the nation's economy in its iron grip. The man I had constantly cursed as a heartless devil, the man I had screamed at for trapping me in this forced marriage. A man whose face was half-concealed behind a silver mask to hide scars from his past, feared by the entire city for his unyielding brutality.

That ruthless monster fell to his knees in the dirt. He pulled my blood-soaked body into his arms, completely unconcerned as his bespoke suit was stained crimson. His scalding tears fell onto my cooling cheeks.

"Olivia! Open your eyes! Don't you dare leave me. Please..." He roared my name into the night, ignoring the fact that I had stabbed the heart of his business empire repeatedly just to feed Edward's greed. He loved me unconditionally until the very end.

Aethon, I'm so sorry. If I ever get a second chance at life, I swear I will never waste you again...

...

"Olivia, sign this. I won't control you anymore."

I jolted violently. My breath hitched, and my heart hammered so viciously against my ribs that my chest constricted. I frantically checked my body—my skin was smooth, unmarked, completely free of injuries.

Standing right before me was a towering figure, nearly six-foot-four. The left half of his face was sculpted with the flawless, divine perfection of a Greek god, totally unreadable and ice-cold. The right half was concealed behind a mysterious, intimidating silver mask carved with intricate detail.

Aethon Kingsleigh.

I was reborn?

This was two years ago! Precisely the night after I had gone on a three-day hunger strike and slashed my own wrist just to force Aethon to sign our divorce papers. In my past life, after tonight, I officially divorced him, threw myself straight into Edward's arms, and kicked off the spiral of suffering that led to my tragic death.

"Why are you staying quiet? Isn't this what you've begged for through this entire year of marriage?" Aethon's voice sliced through the silence. His dark, predatory eyes locked onto mine with a flash of raw agony, meticulously buried behind his icy demeanor. "Sign your portion. Take half my personal wealth and thirty percent of the company stock. Go to your precious Edward. I won't keep you prisoner any longer."

At the mention of Edward's name, a thick, suffocating wave of hatred boiled in my gut. But looking at Aethon standing fully intact in front of me, overwhelming guilt and a desperate, aching longing completely drowned out my rage toward my ex.

Foolish Aethon. He would rather let his own heart be ripped to shreds as long as I was happy—even if that happiness was with another man.

The tears I had been desperately holding back finally burst through. A ragged sob tore out of my chest.

Seeing my tears, Aethon remained completely unmoved, his expression hardening.

"Why are you crying? I agreed to the divorce. You don't need to play pity games with me," he said coldly, his voice sharp.

Without wasting a second, I grabbed the divorce agreement and ripped it into shreds.

Aethon froze. His sharp eyes widened as he stared at the paper fluttering down to the floor, before snapping his head up to lock onto me in total disbelief. "Olivia, what the hell are you playing at?! Do not test my patience. If you're trying to demand more assets—"

"I don't want a divorce!" I cut in.

Before Aethon could process my words, I stepped forward and launched myself against his broad frame. I threw my arms around his neck, hugging him with everything I had, burying my face deep into his broad chest.

Aethon turned completely into stone. He didn't return my embrace at all, his large hands hanging stiffly in the air.

Through our entire year of marriage, I had never permitted him to touch me. Every time he tried to get close, I would scream at him as if he were a repulsive monster. This was the first time I had ever initiated contact.

"Let go!" Aethon growled, shoving me back firmly. "What kind of sick game are you and Edward pulling now? Don't think for a second I'm falling for it again."

"There is no game. I finally woke up. I was an absolute idiot. Please don't divorce me... please don't throw me out."

I threw my arms around him again, wrapping my grip even tighter around his waist. In this life, Aethon Kingsleigh was my protector, my world, and the only man I would ever worship. I would never let misunderstandings ruin us again.

Aethon grabbed my shoulders firmly, forcing me back just far enough so he could look into my eyes. His grip was rock-solid, yet surprisingly gentle—he didn't hurt me at all.

"Three days ago you slit your wrist while screaming Edward's name! You swore you'd rather die than be touched by a facial monster like me. Now, after I grant you the exact freedom you begged for, you suddenly jump into my arms? Do you think I'm your fucking toy?!"

"I'm sorry. I just realized how much I love you, Aethon." I reached up, trying to touch his face.

Aethon flinched, jerking his head away in frustration. "Don't touch me! It's disgusting!"

"It is NOT disgusting!" My fingers brushed softly along the edge of his silver mask with absolute tenderness. "You have never been disgusting, Aethon. You are gorgeous. You are my husband. I was just blind because I listened to snake rumors."

I stood on my tiptoes. Before Aethon could react, I pressed a soft, lingering kiss onto his unmasked left cheek.

Time completely halted inside the room.

Aethon stood entirely paralyzed.

"Are you insane?" he whispered rasply.

"Yes, crazy for taking this long to see how incredible my husband is," I whispered back with a soft smile. I rested my head back against his broad chest, listening to his heart hammering wildly against his ribs. This formidable billionaire was completely rattled just from a hug and a kiss. How deeply had he been loving me in silence?

"Aethon, give me a chance. I promise I will be a devoted wife. I will never speak to or see Edward again, I swear on my life. If I break this promise, you can lock me in this mansion for the rest of my days."

If I wanted to tame an icy, lion-hearted titan like Aethon, I had to play the part of a sweet, obedient, yet boldly relentless wife.

Aethon stayed silent for a long, heavy moment. Without uttering another word, he turned and walked out. Tonight, just like every other night of our marriage, we were sleeping in separate quarters.

I couldn't just sit back. For hours, I lay awake thinking: I had to melt Aethon's defenses so he would never let me go. If words couldn't reach him, then I would use my body to bridge the gap.

At midnight, I slipped out of my room and glided toward Aethon's master suite. The heavy double doors were unlocked. Silent as a ghost, I slid inside.

Aethon was lying flat on his back on the massive bed, his chest bare and muscular. Before his senses could fully shake off the haze of sleep, I climbed over his massive frame and straddled his hips.

His sharp, dark eyes snapped open instantly. Shock flared in his gaze as he found me towering over him in the dim light.

"What the hell are you doing?" he asked cynically. "Are you trying to trap me to build a case for Edward Miller?"

I didn't answer with anger. Instead, I slowly lowered my upper body down onto his broad torso, letting my chest press flush against his hard, warm muscles. I locked eyes with him, lowering my face until our lips were mere millimeters apart.

"Trap or not... do you want me or not?" I whispered flatly, letting a dangerous, seductive smile touch my lips.

Aethon's jaw clenched tightly. Suspicion and wounded pride warred fiercely in his eyes. He grabbed my shoulders, intending to roll me off and get out of bed. "Stop this insanity."

As he moved to push me aside, I acted fast. My cold fingers wrapped around his large hand, pulling it with a sudden, decisive yank. Without hesitation, I pinned his palm directly over my left breast.

Aethon's eyes blew wide open. His breath hitched sharply, his entire body going rigid as he felt the soft, throbbing warmth of my body beneath his palm. In two whole years of marriage, this was a line he had never even dared to dream of crossing.

I didn't stop there. Deliberately, I guided his fingers over my skin, encouraging a slow, stimulating rhythm against my curves. My gaze stayed locked onto his, exposing a raw, hungry desire he had never seen in me before.

"Olivia!" he growled darkly. With one explosive motion, he ripped his hand free and shoved me onto my side on the mattress.

He sat up on the edge of the bed, his chest heaving violently with heavy, ragged breaths. The sculpted muscles of his back flexed with burning frustration. "What is your end game here?! You spent two years torturing me, and now you walk into my bedroom acting like a cheap distraction?!"

I wasn't intimidated for a second. I rolled onto my side, propping my head up with one hand while my other hand slowly traced the bare curve of my exposed thigh. A slow, smoldering smile curved over my lips as I openly invited his attack.

"My end game? Sleeping with my husband."

Aethon snapped his head around, staring at me as if I had completely lost my mind.

"We've been married for two years, Aethon," I continued, wetting my lower lip with the tip of my tongue. "For two years, I've wondered what it would feel like to be claimed by you. This broad, powerful body... I've craved it every single night, but my own stupidity kept me away. Tonight, I am not holding back anymore."

Before he could construct a verbal defense, I surged forward. I grabbed his undone collar, dragging him down into the space between us, and slammed my lips onto his in our very first kiss.

My kiss was bold, demanding, and relentless, pressing hard against his stiff, unyielding lips.

The fuse finally detonated.

"Don't you dare think you can dominate me, Olivia," Aethon growled from the back of his throat.

In one explosive, unstoppable move, Aethon flipped the dynamic. He pinned me flat on my back against the mattress, his massive, heavy frame trapping me completely underneath him.

He lowered his head and captured my lips in a deep, ruthless kiss. Aethon forced my mouth open, plunging his tongue inside with absolute dominance. He claimed every inch, tasting and stroking my tongue with an intoxicating skill that dissolved every joint in my body.

"Nghh..." A soft moan escaped my throat amidst our tangled breath. My lungs screamed for air, the oxygen thoroughly depleted by his merciless kiss. Every time I tried to catch a breath, Aethon deepened the assault, cupping the back of my head with his large hand to lock me in place.

The dark desire he had suppressed for two agonizing years erupted like molten lava. His hands turned scalding against my skin, gripping and exploring every curve of my body with an agonizingly precise touch.

Even though his stance remained dangerously cold and his dark eyes burned with ruthless power, every move of his body was designed to shatter my defenses completely.

He knew exactly how to touch me, where to press, and how to make my entire body tremble under his weight.

Aethon's low growl resonated against my neck as his broad chest pressed tightly against mine without a breath of space. His hands clamped around my waist with possessive, merciless force, his kisses turning wilder and hotter by the second.

"Aethon..." I whimpered out, aching for him to finally take me, knowing he was already past his breaking point. But suddenly, Aethon jerked back.

He grabbed his head in his hands, breathing heavily as if he had just committed a fatal mistake.

"You're acting completely out of character. I can't do this!" Aethon snapped, throwing himself off the bed and storming straight into the bathroom, leaving me alone in the dark.