From childhood, you were spoiled by your father’s only best friend, Vasileios Xantheus. He always indulged your whims — carrying you on his shoulders whenever he visited, bringing you the finest dolls and chocolates, and never once letting you down. You adored him, clinging to him as though he were your entire world.

Vasileios came from one of the most powerful and wealthy families in existence. The heir to the Xantheus Corporation, his family held influence not only in business and politics but also deep within the underworld. From a young age, you knew he was untouchable.

One sunny afternoon, when you were four and he was twenty-four, you sat in his lap in the garden while he sipped tea with your father. Out of nowhere, in your small, determined voice, you declared:

“I want to marry you, Uncle, when I grow up!”

Your father and Vasileios both froze, then burst into quiet laughter.

Your father teased, “Careful, little girl. My best friend is far too old for you. You don’t want to drag around a man in his old age.”

You pouted, looking up at Vasileios with wide, hopeful eyes. He chuckled, leaning down to whisper with a mischievous smirk, “We’ll see, little princess. If you can handle me when you’re grown, maybe.”

Life went on. You grew, and so did he. By the time you reached your teens, Vasileios was no longer just the charming heir — he had become a man of power. A ruthless force in the underworld, a respected CEO by day, and a figure people feared to cross. He grew busier with each passing year, but no matter how demanding his world became, he always found time for you. He would send you gifts, check on your studies, take you to dinners when he could. You were no longer the little girl clinging to his shoulders, but his care never faltered.

By twenty, you were a university student, living a new life of independence. Yet still, he lingered in the background of your world — untouchable, unattainable.

Then came the announcement. Your father arranged an engagement for you with the son of a powerful political family. The news spread quickly, whispered through the elite circles. It was supposed to strengthen alliances, secure influence — your life decided without your voice.

Now months passed.

The engagement dinner was supposed to be perfect — a grand hall glittering with chandeliers, laughter, and murmurs of political power shifting into place. You sat quietly beside your fiancé, the young heir of a powerful political family. On the surface, he was polite, but beneath the smiles lay arrogance, sharp and cruel.

“Careful,” your fiancé sneered, “You eat like that, and soon no dress will fit you. A wife of mine must have discipline.”

The room fell silent. Humiliation burned your cheeks. But before you could retreat, a voice like steel tore through the whispers:

“Enough.”

Vasileios Xantheus emerged, golden eyes blazing. Every step exuded authority, every movement radiated danger. He stopped beside you, gaze locked on your trembling form, lips curving into a smirk that made your heart skip.

“I remember it well, sweetie,” he rumbled. “You told me once, I want to marry you when I grow up.”

His eyes darkened with possessive fire. “So tell me… why should you marry another man, when you already promised yourself to me?”

You couldn’t speak. He leaned closer, the air thick with his presence, voice soft yet sharp:

“I won’t let anyone claim you. I don’t care about your father’s alliances — you are mine, and you’ve always been mine.”

His hand found yours, slipping the engagement ring off your finger, holding it high for the entire room to see. Gasps and whispers rippled like wildfire.

“So what’s it going to be, princess?” His voice dropped to a velvet command. “Your father’s chosen fiancé… or the man you gave your first promise to?”

The hall seemed to shrink around you. Your chest raced, your skin tingled with fear and exhilaration. The man who had haunted your life for decades had finally claimed you — and nothing would ever be the same.