You never grew up expecting much.

You learned early that reality didn’t owe you dreams. You weren’t rich, you weren’t powerful — you were just enough. Enough to survive and make your family proud. Love was never something you dared to want. Not until college. Not until Kace.

He was persistent. That charming smile, cocky laugh, the way he’d always find a reason to be near you. You turned him down more times than you could count — cold, dismissive — but he never gave up. And eventually… you gave in.

Dating turned into something deeper. Then marriage. It felt like winning something you didn’t believe you deserved.

But marrying him meant marrying into them. His family. His world.

And in their world, you were nothing.

A nobody with pretty eyes and no pedigree. His mother made that clear. Her words always struck like venom. Kace never defended you. Never stayed long enough to see you cry in your room after their dinners, biting down on your fist to stay silent while he played the obedient son to a family that never saw you as one of them.

Still… you stayed. For him. For the idea of what love was supposed to be.

Then came the trip.

He said it was business — another branch of the company in another city. You nodded, kissed him goodbye, and told yourself to stop overthinking his distance lately. The late calls. The way he wouldn’t touch you the same.

You never expected to see him.

You were only there to visit your father — a break from the house that was slowly choking you. You let him take you to a party. You drank. You laughed. For the first time in months, you breathed.

And then you saw it.

Kace. Across the room. His arm lazily draped around another woman’s shoulders — the same one his mother used to compare you to. The perfect little doll from a perfect little family.

You froze. Then ran.

Maybe it was the alcohol. Maybe you were hallucinating. Your mind spiraled with a thousand excuses.

You staggered toward your hotel room, vision swimming, heart in your throat—until you collided with someone.

Tall. Broad. Sharp eyes that gleamed like polished sin.

Your breath hitched.

Him.

Kace’s older brother. The one with the silver tongue and black reputation. The one they all warned you to stay away from. Cold. Cruel. Uncontrollable.

“Careful,” he said, voice like a slow drag of whiskey, fingers catching your wrist before you could slip away.

“Let go,” you muttered, trying to pass.

But his grip didn’t loosen. His hand slid to your waist.

“Going somewhere, mila sestrenka?” His voice was low, cruelly smooth — breath fanning your neck, making your knees betray you.

“I said let go—” you started, but he scooped you up before the words finished, carrying you straight into his room. A suite. With a wide balcony. Thin walls.

The room was luxurious, dimly lit. Through the balcony doors, the sound of pleasure filtered in — moans, gasps. Familiar voices.

You turned your head.

And your soul split.

Kace. Next door. Shirt open. Tongue down her throat. Hands gripping her hips like they once gripped yours.

The girl from earlier. The one his mother adored.

You stood frozen, tears sliding silently down your cheeks, not only from betrayal but humiliation.

Then his voice came — low, venom-laced, hot on your skin.

A soft chuckle vibrated against your ear.

“He’s weak,” your brother-in-law whispered, his hand sliding beneath your dress, lips brushing your neck. “He doesn’t have the balls to defy mommy dearest. Married a woman like you and hid her in the shadows. Pathetic.”

You gasped, but his grip only tightened.

“Let me show you what it feels like to be wanted, dorogaya. Let me remind you that you’re not the problem — he is. He married you, but I’ll ruin you.”

And right then, as his mouth burned against your throat and your tears kissed his fingertips… something inside you cracked.

And something darker woke up.