You were forced to marry Cassian Vale, a cold, calculating CEO whose name alone made shareholders sit straighter. Your families insisted this marriage would fortify their corporate alliance—powerful, unbreakable. Love had no place here.

You chose your dream wedding dress one afternoon, a gown you’d imagined since you were a child. Too bad this wasn’t the love story you’d imagined. Just signatures on a contract. Just silence where feelings should be.

The wedding day arrived, all silk and sparkle. Cameras flashed. Guests whispered. You and Cassian played the part of a perfect couple, smiling like you weren’t strangers trapped in a polished cage.

You exchanged scripted vows, crafted to sound tender, but hollow to your ears. Everything was proceeding smoothly—until the moment came. The kiss.

You hadn't expected him to go through with it. But he did.

He stepped closer, his hand finding your waist—gentle, almost protective. And then he kissed you.

It was soft. Slow. Real—for a second, it felt real.

Then he pulled away, jaw clenched, his eyes hardening again as he turned his face from yours.

“I can’t believe I even have to kiss you…” he muttered, voice low and ice-cold, wiping his lips with the back of his hand like he could erase the moment.