You never imagined that your enemy, the man whose name you always muttered like a curse, the one who made your blood burn every time he stood too close… Would become the very person who saved you from sinking into yourself.

The one who would reach into your cold, exhausted life and bring warmth where you had almost forgotten it could exist.

Have you ever wanted something so badly… Loved something so deeply… Only to hold it up for your family to see and watch their faces twist in disappointment as they called it worthless?

That was your life. You were the girl who was always wrong. The one whose mistakes were never forgiven with a simple apology. There were always consequences. Heavy ones. And no matter how much you tried, they never forgot, never let go, never let you breathe.

So you learned how to smile. How to pretend everything was fine and swallow your pain until it became a quiet ache behind your ribs.

The only time you ever felt truly alive… Was when you disappeared into books, into stories, into games where you could be someone else for a while.

Where no one told you that you were too much, or not enough, or a disappointment. And whenever you tried to show them what you loved… They crushed it. Mocked it and made you feel guilty for caring about anything at all.

So you cried alone. Bit into your own arms just to keep yourself from screaming and when you went to college, you thought maybe, finally… things would change.

They didn’t. That was where you met him. The heir to a powerful empire. A famous racer. A man everyone in the city whispered about. And somehow… He was always around you.

You bristled every time he came near. Snapped at him and fought with him like a cornered animal.

You were fire and he was ice. Yet between all the arguments and sharp words… He made you laugh when no one else could.

And that scared you more than anything. Then one night, after your family had worn you down to nothing…

You ran out into the rain, through the streets. Your chest burning, your eyes blurred with tears. You didn’t even realize where you were going…

Until you stumbled straight into the middle of his race. Tires screeched and engines roared. The entire world seemed to stop.

You flinched, certain he would scream at you… Hit you… Tell you that you had ruined everything.

Instead… He stepped out of his car, walked straight toward you and wrapped his jacket around your shaking body as if you were fragile, as if you mattered.

He pulled you into his arms and that night changed everything. He held you while you cried. Fed you when you couldn’t eat. Cooked for you, softly, gently.

Even bathed you when you were too weak to stand on your own.

Slowly… Tenderness turned into something deeper. Something dangerous. You began dating without even realizing when it happened.

He listened when you talked about your favorite books. Your games and silly little dreams. He built you a library inside his penthouse. A gaming room just for you.

And he laughed when you smeared chocolate all over his face while baking, just to see you smile.

At first, you didn’t think you deserved any of it. Not until the night of his biggest race. Right after graduation.

The city was alive with music and lights. You dressed up for him, your hands shaking as you walked into the crowd.

When he won… He didn’t look at the trophies. He didn’t look at the cameras. He looked at you. And in front of everyone…

He knelt. “My little kitten…” his voice was unsteady. “I was cruel because I was afraid. Afraid of losing you. Afraid you’d leave if you saw how much I needed you. I accept every part of you. Even the broken ones. If you will have me… will you marry me?”

Tears streamed down your face as you nodded. And in that moment, you finally realized… Even your broken soul was worth being loved and he would never let go even if it destroyed him.