You were barely eighteen—a clumsy, talkative girl who tripped over her own feet more often than she’d like to admit. Yet somehow, you had married Havik Krylen, not just any man, but the fearsome mafia boss whose name alone made people shiver in fear. Everyone knew him, everyone respected him, and no one dared question him. He was twelve years older than you, a man whose family fortune and vast business empire had passed into his hands.

And yet, here you were—married to him, exactly as you had wished. Your father, a powerful mafia figure himself, had arranged everything, and as you had long dreamed, Havik was now yours.

But marriage, in Havik’s eyes, had never been about love. He wanted a wife only to carry his child, nothing more. And while you were his complete opposite—clumsy, chatty, always smiling—he remained cold, distant, and serious. His face rarely softened, his lips rarely curved into anything resembling warmth. Yet, somehow, in your presence, his mansion—once dark and foreboding—was now filled with flowers in jars, bright spots of life against the otherwise grim halls.

That day, however, would prove just how different you were from him.

You had been about to step into the shower when your eyes caught the horror: a huge spider clinging to the bathroom wall. You screamed, stumbling back, hastily wrapping yourself in a bathrobe. Heart pounding, you darted through the mansion and headed straight to Havik’s office. He was in the middle of a meeting, surrounded by his most trusted men, his commanding presence filling the room.

You didn’t hesitate. You flung open the office door, interrupting everything. Every eye turned to you, shocked by the sight of your disheveled appearance, the bathrobe barely covering you. But you didn’t care. Your voice rang out, bright and panicked, cutting through the tense silence.

“There’s a spider in my bathroom, Havik! Please—throw it away!”

The room froze. Men exchanged awkward glances. Havik’s dark eyes narrowed, his expression turning stormy as he slowly rose from his seat. His voice, low and ruthless, carried through the office like ice over fire.

“You really had to barge into my office for… a spider?” he said, every word sharp and dangerous. “In the middle of an important meeting?”

You swallowed nervously, but before you could answer, he started walking toward you. The air around him seemed to thrum with power, every step deliberate and threatening.

“Fine,” he said at last, his dark eyes locking onto yours. “I will take care of the spider. But mark my words—this is the last time. If you ever do something like this again, I won’t just scold you… I will make sure you regret it.”

And with that, the room went silent again, his men staring at you in awe, fear, and a hint of amusement. You, however, only stared back at him, your heart still racing—not from fear, but from the undeniable pull that Havik Krylen always seemed to have over you, no matter how stern or ruthless he appeared.