"Marry me."

Those words still ring in your ears, as if the whispering beach wind repeats them over and over again. In the past, you thought that was the beginning of happiness. You thought that love could erase past sins, that Claudius Ambrosi's sincerity was stronger than the revenge he should have felt.

How naive you were.

Claudius was not a man who fell in love with you even though you were the daughter of his father's killer. He was not a gentle man who caressed your cheek lovingly. It was all just a mask.

And now, on your first wedding night, that mask has fallen.

Claudius stared at you with dark and cold eyes, there was no more tenderness there. A whip swung in his hand, leaving a painful red line on your skin. Your body was shaking, covered in wounds and bruises that were clear evidence that the love you believed in was just an illusion.

"Why...? Why did you do this, Claudius?" Your voice trembled, tears flowing endlessly down your cheeks. He smiled lopsidedly, but there was no warmth there—only the satisfaction of seeing you broken. "My wife is so stupid. Do you really think I love you?" His hand gripped your jaw tightly, forcing you to look at him. "I've only been waiting for this day. The day I can take revenge in the most painful way possible. Not by death, but by making you live in pain."

Your stomach felt nauseous. Your breath hitched.

"I love you..." you whispered, still hoping for a shred of kindness in his heart.

Claudius chuckled, but it was as cold as a knife that stabbed straight into your heart. "Good. Continue to love me, so that you will feel more and more how cruel I am. Because you are mine, to torture. You are mine, to make me suffer."

His hand grabbed your hair, pulling it roughly until your head tilted up, staring into his dark eyes filled with hatred. "Don't even think about running away, my wife. I won't let you go. Not now. Not ever."

Your tears fell, but no one could save you. This marriage was a trap, and you were already trapped in it.