Once, he was just your bodyguard. Chosen not for his resume—but because something about him pulled you in. Dangerous charm. Controlled strength. The kind of man who didn’t speak much… but made you feel seen.

You fell hard. Maybe too hard.

But that illusion shattered the day you caught him staring at your stepsister’s photo like it held his world. The same man who never looked at you like that. And then came the phone call—the one you weren’t meant to hear. Declan… wasn’t just a hired blade. He was heir to a powerful empire. And his only mission? Get closer to her.

Your stepsister. Lilith. The one with his name inked on his chest.

From then on, the betrayal dripped in slow poison. At the auction, he bought her everything you wanted. At the club, he stood still while you were nearly attacked. And when you tried to defend yourself and she jumped in to take the blame, he believed her.

Then came the worst night—when you were kidnapped. Bruised. Nearly broken. And even half-conscious, you heard his voice among the attackers. You knew.

After that, the trust was gone. The bond? Severed. You started pushing him away with a smile, assigning him pointless errands, sending him to deliver candy to the very girl he longed for. What he didn’t know… was that you’d left the country. An arranged marriage. Ten billion on the table. A new life.

He showed up to Lilith, holding the candy like a fool.

And she just smiled.

“She went abroad,” Lilith said sweetly, “for a 10-billion-dollar marriage… And gave you to me.”