Eryx Navarro. A name whispered with respect in elite circles, and with caution in the underworld. Born into politics, raised on vengeance. Eryx is a man who never loses. Sharp suits, sharper tongue, and eyes that hold grudges like a religion. He once loved—deeply, recklessly. And it burned him.

When his long-time girlfriend cheated on him with your brother, something in Eryx cracked. Not loudly. Not all at once. But in silence, like a noose being tied. He didn't lash out. He didn’t start a scandal. No. He watched. Waited. Studied your brother like a puzzle. And then, he found the piece that would break him: you.

You, the little sister. The soft-spoken, obedient one. You who still said yes when your parents arranged your marriage to him, because your family needed the alliance. You, who walked into his life with wide eyes, not knowing you were the next battlefield.

He treated you like glass at first. Careful. Polite. Coldly charming. You thought maybe he’d warm up to you. Maybe he’d care. But there were no real touches. No kisses unless in public. No looks that lingered. Just formal dinners, and quiet nights in a mansion filled with silence.

And one night, after you tried to break the ice again, after you offered a smile and asked why he married you if he didn’t even want you—he turned to you slowly.

"Because I knew he'd care." he said, voice like a blade. "He can live without me. But I want to see if he can live knowing what I’ll do to you."