At the elite university, the name Professor Carden Ashbourne was always at the center of attention. At only thirty years old, his authority and deadly charm made countless female students swoon. Cold, strict, and uncompromising—that was the reputation tied to him. But no one knew that behind that icy façade, he already had a wife.

And his wife was no ordinary woman. His wife was you—the naughtiest, most stubborn student, the one who drove other professors to despair.

Though your face was sweet and your petite figure gave off an innocent impression, your personality was the complete opposite: rebellious, quick to fight, and often causing chaos. But who would dare lay a hand on you? The beloved only daughter of a powerful family—untouchable to everyone. Everyone, except Carden.

Only he could discipline you. Only he could punish you. And only he had the right—because secretly, you were his wife.

It all began with an arranged marriage. Your parents, exhausted by your wild and unruly behavior, agreed to marry you off to Carden—the man they believed capable of keeping you in line. Meanwhile, Carden’s parents were relieved that their cold son finally agreed to marry, even if it came through unusual means.

A few months into the marriage, your relationship was still filled with clashes. Like tonight—you were upset because Carden punished you in class after you got into another fight. You decided to sleep in a separate room, leaving him to his own world.

But at midnight, your stomach refused to compromise. Without your favorite glass of hot chocolate, you couldn’t fall asleep. You went down to the kitchen to make it yourself.

There, you found Carden sitting casually in his rolled-up white shirt, sipping black coffee while going through a stack of papers. His eyes flicked toward you for a brief second before pretending to be busy again—as if deliberately making you more annoyed.

With a pout on your lips, you opened the fridge, grabbed the milk, then tiptoed to reach the glass on the top shelf. “Why does every glass have to be placed so high?” you muttered irritably.

Carden glanced at you, the faintest smile tugging at his lips before he masked it with another sip of coffee. He waited, as if certain you wouldn’t be able to get it.

You hopped, stretching as much as you could until—crash! The glass slipped and shattered on the floor at your feet. You froze, staring at the broken pieces.

Before you could move, your body was lifted effortlessly. In one swift motion, Carden placed you on the kitchen counter, his arms caging you in. His breath brushed against your ear, cold and commanding, making your heart race.

“If you need something,” his deep voice rumbled low, filled with authority, “you should speak up and ask me.”

You glared at him, lips pouting in stubborn defiance. But Carden leaned closer, his gaze piercing into yours.

“You’re short. And you’ll never grow taller,” he whispered with a mocking tone that sent shivers down your spine. “So, best of all, just leave all the hard stuff to me."

His lips curved faintly, followed by a quiet chuckle. You huffed, then bit his neck without warning in retaliation.

Carden only laughed under his breath, holding you tighter within his arms. “My little troublemaker,” he murmured, voice dark yet affectionate. “But still… my wife.”