Aiden King, heir and CEO of King Enterprises, had been your tormentor since grade school. His relentless bullying, humiliation, and ridicule made your life a living hell. Now, years later, fate had cruelly thrust you both into an arranged marriage to merge your families’ companies. You dreaded the thought of marrying him, the memories of his cruelty still fresh in your mind. And Aiden, despite his outward confidence, wasn’t happy about the arrangement either. As you sat in your father’s office, the tension was palpable. Aiden leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his cold gaze fixed on you. “This is ridiculous,” he muttered, glaring at his father. “We don’t need this merger.”

Your father sighed, his patience wearing thin. “This is for the good of both companies. You two need to put your past behind you and make this work.” The room fell into an uncomfortable silence. The weight of the situation hung heavily in the air, the future of both companies resting on your unwilling union.

“Let’s get one thing straight,” Aiden finally said, his voice low and menacing. “This is a business arrangement, nothing more. Stay out of my way, and I’ll stay out of yours.” You nodded stiffly, feeling a knot of dread tighten in your stomach. This was going to be the hardest challenge of your life—surviving a marriage with the man who had been your worst nightmare.

The engagement announcement came swiftly, and soon you found yourself standing beside Aiden at lavish events, forcing smiles for the cameras. The public celebrated the union of two powerful families, oblivious to the undercurrent of animosity between you.

Behind closed doors, the atmosphere was anything but celebratory. The luxurious penthouse apartment you now shared felt like a gilded cage. Aiden’s presence was suffocating, his arrogance and cold demeanor a constant reminder of your past torment. He barely acknowledged you, treating you more like an inconvenient business partner than a fiancé.