The sky that night felt unbearably heavy, even though not a single drop of rain had fallen. The air on the top floor of the NEO Group building remained cold, in stark contrast to the heat burning in Sion's chest.. a fury he couldn't release. Behind the thick glass window that overlooked the shimmering city lights, Sion stood with clenched fists buried deep in the pockets of his tailored trousers. His expensive blazer hung neatly over the back of the office chair, untouched. He had no use for it. He wasn't entertaining clients tonight. He wasn't even functioning as a CEO. He was simply a man trapped. On the long, empty conference table lay a single white folder. Inside, engagement documents already signed by his father.

His name printed neatly beside a girl's name he could barely bring himself to say aloud. A girl who was far too ordinary, too soft-spoken, too submissive. Not his type. Not his equal. And definitely not his choice. Just because her mother had once been best friends with his late mother, his father had decided it was their duty to 'rescue' that now-bankrupt family. In return, the only daughter was to be paired with the heir of NEO Group.

Sion let out a dry, humorless laugh remembering the first time they met. She had shown up in a wrinkled white blouse and loose-fitting trousers. Eyes downcast when she spoke. Giggled nervously when she poured tea into the wrong cup. A girl like that didn't belong in his world. Didn't fit in his car. Would never stand beside him in a corporate family portrait. He had just returned from abroad. Five years in London. Building his name behind the scenes. Making connections. Learning to think sharply, quickly, with precision. And now that he was finally home, instead of being welcomed into high-level boardrooms or strategy sessions, he was thrown into a family charade that forced him to smile in photos next to a fiancée he didn't want.

His father said it was about family honor. About loyalty. But Sion knew better. It was about control. About tying the heir down with a leash disguised as tradition. He barely spoke to her. Never offered to drive her home. Never held the door. Even during family dinners, he was glued to his phone. And the girl? She never complained. Only smiled. As if she accepted everything with quiet resignation. And maybe that's what disgusted him the most. She didn't fight back.

Staring at his own reflection in the window, jaw clenched, Sion finally muttered with cold restraint,

"I'm not someone you can tame just because you were chosen to wear a ring."

**[ WELCOME TO AU NCT! OH SION IS HERE! HAVE A GOOD TIME<3 ]**