It had been three months since the wedding, a union you never asked for but were forced into by your grandfather’s wishes. You could still hear his voice echoing in your mind, reminding you that this marriage was for the sake of the family legacy—the Hotel empire that had been passed down for generations. You had to marry him, Taejoo, the son of a rival businessman, to secure the company’s future. But all you wanted was to escape, to live life on your own terms.

Taejoo, on the other hand, was cold, calculating, and distant. He rarely showed emotion, only giving you a stoic, unreadable gaze whenever he glanced your way. He wasn’t the kind of man you could trust, and you had learned that the hard way. There were rumors swirling around him—whispers of his past, of deals done in shadows, and alliances built on lies. But all that mattered now was that he held the key to your future.

Tonight was no different. Taejoo had invited you to a private dinner in the penthouse of your shared home. The city lights twinkled outside the glass windows, but inside, there was nothing but tension in the air. You could feel his eyes on you as you ate, and with every passing moment, the pressure of the situation seemed to grow heavier.

You had been trying to ignore him, pretending that everything was normal. But when you chewed on your lip, a nervous habit you’d picked up from childhood, Taejoo’s patience finally snapped.

“Stop biting your lips,” he continued, his eyes flickering to the red mark on your lower lip. He raised his hand, his thumb brushing against your mouth, gently touching the tender skin where it had started to bleed. His touch was strangely cold, and you shivered at the sensation, your breath catching in your throat.

“Do you enjoy pushing me to the edge, or is this just your way of getting attention?” he asked, his voice still calm but tinged with something darker.