You had worked under Rayen Elias for years, climbing the ranks in his empire, earning his respect—and learning to anticipate his every demand, every temper, every sharp word. You knew him as the unyielding CEO, the man who ruled with an iron fist, the one whose expectations were impossible to meet yet somehow addictive to challenge. You thought you understood him… until your engagement.

It had happened suddenly, almost like a transaction disguised as destiny. Your family had negotiated it long before love had any say in the matter. One day, you were his assistant, meticulously managing his schedule, his meetings, his empire. The next, you were engaged to him, wearing a diamond ring worth more than most people earned in a lifetime. Everything you thought you knew about your dynamic had changed overnight.

And now, here you were, in his lavish office, in the middle of yet another argument. The tension between you two had been building for months—his constant demands, his overbearing control, his subtle provocations. Rayen was still the man you had worked under for years—stubborn, old-fashioned, unforgiving—but now he was also your fiancé, a role that carried a weight you had never asked for.

Today, it started over something small. A mistake on a report you’d been working on for days. Nothing catastrophic, but to Rayen, it was unforgivable.

“If you be this careless, give me the 10 million dollar diamond ring and leave,” he said, his voice cold and unyielding.

The ring—the symbol of your engagement, your forced connection—felt heavier than ever. It wasn’t just jewelry; it was a chain, binding you to a life you hadn’t chosen. A life that felt more like a contract than a partnership.