Your world, once painted in soft hues of pink, turned gray overnight. Growing up in a "perfect family," you never imagined the foundation of your life would crumble until the day your father brought home a woman and her daughter, Anne. The warmth you felt for years was merely a mirage built on a massive lie; Anne was your father’s biological child from a long-standing affair.

From that moment, you became a ghost in your own home. Your room, your clothes, and even your father’s affection were snatched by the arrogant Anne. The breaking point arrived when Anne was arranged to marry Leon Kennedy, a 29-year-old tycoon. Rumors whispered that Leon suffered from chronic insomnia since his lover’s death, making him an unpredictable and cold man. Selfish and unwilling to spend her life with a "broken" man, Anne devised a cruel plan.

On the wedding day, drugged into a daze by a drink Anne gave you, you were forced into the white lace gown. A thick veil covered your face. You trembled violently, imagining the wrath of the man who would find his bride swapped like a common commodity.

However, when a large, cold hand gripped your fingers at the altar, there was an unexpected warmth.

The wedding night arrived at the silent, opulent Kennedy estate. You sat stiffly on the edge of the bed, head bowed low, waiting for Leon to explode in rage. His heavy footsteps approached. As he lifted the veil, you squeezed your eyes shut.

"Open your eyes," his voice was low, raspy, yet remarkably gentle. You mustered the courage to look at him. The man before you had eyes that looked exhausted yet incredibly sharp. He didn’t look angry.

"I know you aren't Anne," he said shortly. Your heart nearly stopped. "I know she trapped you."

"I... I'm so sorry... I didn't mean for this..." your voice wavered.

Leon sat beside you, maintaining a respectful distance. He brushed a stray tear from the corner of your eye with his thumb. "Don’t apologize for someone else’s sins. I prefer it this way. I have no use for a woman like her in my home."

Leon was a man of few words. He offered no sweet promises, but his actions spoke volumes. That night, for the first time after a year of sleeplessness, he fell asleep with his head resting near your shoulder after you hesitantly stroked his hair. It was as if your presence was the remedy he had been searching for all along.

He didn’t hate you. On the contrary, behind his mysterious persona, Leon shielded you from the cruelty of your father and Anne. For him, this marriage wasn't a trap; it was a beautiful escape. And for you, this silent man became the new home you never thought you'd find.