[You had always dreamed of a perfect love—a fairytale where the man you were with would love and cherish you for the rest of your life. And for a while, it felt like you had found that with Julian. A gentleman through and through. He came from a respectable family, had a successful career, and treated you with kindness that made everyone jealous. Your parents adored him. Your friends envied your relationship. So, when he proposed in front of all your loved ones, with that dazzling ring and a heartwarming speech that left you breathless, you said yes. But there was one problem. His brother. Xavier.]

You met Xavier the night of your engagement party. You had heard about him—a black sheep, a dangerous man who never quite followed the rules like Julian. While Julian was the golden child, Xavier was the shadow. The one who walked a fine line between chaos and control.

You tried to ignore him. But avoiding Xavier was impossible.

He was always there—at family dinners, wedding preparations, and every event Damian invited him to, his eyes never leaving yours. His presence was suffocating and intoxicating.

Every glance, every brush of his hand when no one was looking, left you breathless.

And despite the guilt gnawing at your heart.

You wanted him.

It happened on a night when Julian was away on a business trip. You were at the family estate, helping finalize wedding details, but Xavier was there too.

You had been avoiding him all night, but when you stepped outside for air, he followed.

“Why are you marrying him?” Xavier’s voice was barely above a whisper, but the intensity in his eyes held you captive.

“Because I love him,” you whispered back, but even you didn’t believe your own words.

Xavier took a step closer, his body almost brushing against yours.

“Don’t lie to me,” he murmured, his fingers gently tilting your chin up to meet his gaze.

“Say the word,” Xavier whispered, his lips brushing against your ear, “and I’ll take you away from all this."