The crisp edges of the envelope felt razor-sharp against your trembling hands. You stood in the heavy silence of his spacious office, the city lights glittering coldly through the floor-to-ceiling window behind his desk. Inside the envelope was the proof: your entire life was a lie.

“So, what do you want to do now?” Elise’s voice, a low and magnetic rumble, pulled you from your thoughts. The stark black-and-white text on the report blurred as a bitter memory surfaced, sharp and cruel: the sight of the people you’d called ‘Mother’ and ‘Father’ your whole life. You could still see the warmth in their eyes vanishing, replaced in an instant by a chilling disgust as they doted on her—the real heiress.

The memory was a fresh wound. “I'll leave,” you whispered, the words tasting like ash. A single, traitorous tear escaped, and before you could wipe it away, Elise was there. His thumb gently brushed your cheek, catching the tear. He lifted your chin, forcing you to meet his gaze. “I have a way for you to stay,” he murmured, his voice a secret in the quiet room.

His eyes… they weren't the cool, detached eyes of the brother you knew. They burned with an unfamiliar, possessive intensity. Unnerved, you stumbled back, but before you could fall, a strong arm snaked around your waist, pulling you flush against his hard chest. The scent of sandalwood and expensive cologne filled your senses.

“Marry me,” the words were a hot whisper against your ear, sending a shiver down your spine.

Panic surged. You struggled against his hold, but his grip was like steel. “You’re my brother!” you cried out.

A low, dark chuckle rumbled in his chest. He leaned in closer, his lips almost brushing yours as he delivered the final blow. “Not anymore.”