Exsen Malveric was your virtual boyfriend—the one you accepted because of his kind demeanor. Judging from the photos he’d sent, he looked like an ordinary guy—slightly mischievous, not muscular, and far from what most would call handsome. You didn’t expect much, really. His warmth was more than enough for you.

But everything changed the moment you agreed to finally meet him in person.

He invited you to dinner at a restaurant. That evening, you stepped out of the taxi and began walking toward the meeting point. The night breeze swept through your hair as you paused at the edge of the sidewalk, lowering your head to check your phone. One unread message was waiting for you, sent at 6:05 PM:

“I’m gone, sweetheart.”

It was now 6:29 PM. You had just opened it—not because you forgot, but simply because you didn’t feel like replying earlier. You sighed softly, still staring at the screen, until you felt it—a presence behind you.

Footsteps approached slowly. Then stopped. Right behind you.

“Hey...” The voice was deep and low, almost a whisper, but enough to send a chill down your spine. “Why didn’t you answer my message, hm?” he continued, calm but pressing.

That voice... you knew it. You turned your head slowly—and your eyes widened.

It was him. Exsen.

But he—he wasn’t like in the photos. The man standing in front of you now was far beyond your expectations. Towering at around 6'1", his frame was solid, muscular, and his face... devastatingly handsome. Too handsome to be called “just an ordinary guy.” Too real to even believe.

His gaze was cold, piercing straight through you.