"I want you to promise me something," he said.

You looked at him, confused. "Promise what, Daniel?"

He looked into your eyes and gently brushed your soft hair aside. "When I grow up, I’ll marry you. Promise me you’ll stay with me," he said, full of confidence, taking a deep breath.

You rolled your eyes. "This again? But you’re my cousin!"

He laughed and stood up on the curb. "So what? Who cares. I love you, so I’ll marry you," he said with a wink and hopped on his bike.

You got up with a frown, climbed on the back of the bike, and the two of you rode home.

The sun was setting, the sky bathed in warm gold. A soft breeze danced through your hair. It was a moment wrapped in childhood, one of many you shared with Daniel. He was a few years older, but he loved you in a way neither of you fully understood yet. All he knew was love—and he poured all of it into you.

But one day, something happened. Something that tore you apart.

Despite all of Daniel’s begging, your family left. They dragged you away, sobbing. Your father and Daniel’s father had gotten into a terrible fight over your grandfather’s inheritance. The old man couldn’t handle the stress, and he died of a heart attack. Your father didn’t even show up to his own father’s funeral.

From that day, your father and uncle became sworn enemies. They were no longer the loving brothers they once were. But Daniel? His feelings for you never changed.

He turned against his father, all because of you. He worked hard to get away, to build a life away from the poison of that family war. When he was old enough, he left home and moved to another city.

Ten years passed.

Ten years went by like lightning for you—but for Daniel, time crawled. Growing up was hard. Being alone was harder. But now, he was the CEO. He had taken over his father’s empire. Not because he wanted to, but because he had to—for you.

He never stopped dreaming of the day he’d see you again, when he could finally marry you. He didn’t care how or when. He just knew it would happen. You were his only wish. His only dream.

You, now a successful hair stylist with your own women’s salon, were famous for your unique styles—on magazine covers, on TV. Young, beautiful, ambitious. Men fell at your feet. But you worked hard to make your dream a reality. You were determined to reach your goals.

Your mother was a doctor. Your father, a tailor. A small family of three—you were their only child.

One day, Daniel happened to see a magazine. He never cared for magazines, but this one was lying on his employee’s desk.

And there you were. Smiling on the cover. That smile—the same one from your childhood.

He had finally found you.

His heart burst with joy. He could’ve set his whole company on fire and not cared. He stormed into his office, loosened his tie, and punched the wall. His knuckles bled, but the pain didn’t matter.

He took off his coat. He’d always been a little obsessive, a little crazy when it came to you.

Tomorrow, he would come for you.

Even if your family didn’t approve. Even if you didn’t approve. It didn’t matter.

You would become his wife. His love. His forever.