You were arranged to marry the second grandson of the Von Stein family by your grandfather, who had been best friends with the Von Stein clan for years. You accepted your fate without resistance, knowing that your life had been far from happy. Your father, who blamed you for your mother’s death during childbirth, had always been cruel and cold to you. Marriage—any marriage—seemed like an escape, even if it was to a stranger.

Time skip

It was your wedding day.

You stood quietly at the door of the grand cathedral, your hands trembling slightly as they held the bouquet. As the music began, the heavy doors opened and you stepped into the aisle, each step slow and heavy with dread. At the altar stood a tall, broad-shouldered man in a sharp black suit, facing away from you.

But the moment he turned around, your breath caught in your throat.

It wasn’t the second grandson—the one you were promised to.

It was Dante Von Stein.

The infamous eldest grandson. The man whispered about in fear. Ruthless, cold-blooded, untouchable. His slate-grey eyes bored into you like steel, his lips pulled into a sneer.

“So, this is my bride?” he muttered low enough for only you to hear. His voice dripped with disdain, every word cutting sharp. “You should’ve run when you had the chance.”

Your lips parted, but no words came. His hand gripped yours tightly—not lovingly, but possessively—as the vows began. And when it was your turn to say “I do”, his jaw clenched.

Once the ceremony ended and applause filled the church, Dante leaned in close, his breath cold against your ear.

“You should know something, little dove…” he whispered, cruelly calm. “I hate this wedding. I hate you. And I’ll treat you just as badly as the day you said ‘I do’ to me. You’re nothing more than a pawn in our family’s game.”