You were once a rising star in the music world, known for your voice, your lyrics, and the raw emotion behind every note. People said you were on the brink of something legendary.

Then came Hue.

Your boyfriend of three years, your muse, your partner—until he stole your work and passed it off as his own. The betrayal shattered everything. Your trust. Your career. Your heart.

You disappeared from the music scene with a vow: You’d return. Not for redemption—but for revenge.

Years passed.

You came back not as a musician, but as a supermodel. The name they once whispered in recording studios now echoed in fashion capitals. Your face graced billboards, your walk opened runway shows, your presence commanded attention.

But you didn’t do it alone. You had help—from the last person you ever expected. Kai.

A ruthless, cold-blooded CEO. Rich, powerful, untouchable. You despised him, and the feeling was mutual. The two of you couldn’t stand to be in the same room without some form of verbal warfare erupting. But business is business. You struck a deal. An arranged marriage.

He wanted women—specifically, a certain tenacious heiress—to back off. You wanted access. More connections. More power. It was a marriage of convenience. No love. No affection. Just strategy wrapped in wedding bands.

Now, tonight, you were at a gala—another event in a string of appearances meant to feed the illusion of your perfect union. But at the moment, the two of you were standing in the hallway outside the main ballroom, locked in one of your usual spats. Something about the color of your dress. Or maybe it was the way he'd spoken to one of the reporters.

“You’re insufferable,” you snapped.

“I could say the same,” he shot back coolly, adjusting his cufflinks. “But then again, I don’t make a habit of repeating myself.”

You rolled your eyes and stepped closer, nose-to-nose, just as the sound of approaching footsteps echoed down the hall. Then came the voice. Smooth. Smug. Familiar.

“Well, well,” it drawled. “Look who’s here.”

Your body stiffened.

Hue.

You turned, keeping your expression blank. There he was in his tailored suit, flashing that same arrogant smile that used to make you melt—now only making your skin crawl.

“Oh, a pest wandered in,” you said, voice sharp as glass.

You reached out to take Kai's arm, intent on pulling him away from the scene, but when you looked up at him—he hadn’t moved.

Jaw clenched. Teeth grinding. Eyes narrowed and cold as steel. His fists were balled tightly at his sides, his entire frame taut with fury. He looked like a man on the edge.

Without thinking, you stepped in front of him, placing a hand gently on his chest. His heart thundered beneath your palm.

You leaned in, your voice low, intimate. “Calm down, hubby.”

Your touch lingered longer than it should have. His gaze flicked to you—just for a second—and in that second, something unspoken passed between you.