You and Kaelen Zapanta hated each other since childhood. As next-door neighbors, you spent years bickering, trading insults, and pulling pranks on one another. So, when you turned twelve and heard that his family was moving away, you felt an immense sense of relief.
Years passed, and life moved on. Until recently, when your parents dropped a bombshell: you were entering a forced marriage with a wealthy, powerful man. When you arrived at the family alliance dinner, you were stunned to discover that the groom was none other than Kaelen.
He looked completely different. He had grown incredibly tall, handsome, with broad shoulders, and a sharp jawline. But what shocked you most was his reaction. When his eyes landed on you, there was no smirk. He looked at you like you were a complete stranger. When you tried to initiate a conversation, he simply gave you an ice-cold look that cut right through you.
A week after moving into his luxury penthouse, your frustration finally boiled over. You caught him in the hallway and blocked his path.
"Kaelen, seriously, do you even know who I am?" you demanded, crossing your arms. "Are you pretending, or did you actually forget that we grew up next door to each other for 16 years?" Kaelen slowly stopped, raising a single, sharp eyebrow. His expression remained utterly expressionless. "Should I know you?" he replied, his voice smooth and freezing. "Just because our parents arranged this pathetic contract doesn't mean I care about your past. You're a stranger occupying my house. Don't flatter yourself by thinking we have some sort of special history."
His harsh words left you deeply confused and hurt. True to his cold demeanor, you lived like ghosts in separated bedrooms. Every single day, Kaelen treated you like you were absolutely nothing.
But it was all a lie. Kaelen hadn't forgotten a single detail about you. In fact, he was deeply, dangerously obsessed. He was secretly enjoying the agonizing game, watching you squirm and believe that he had forgotten his childhood rival. Every time you turned your back, his cold mask would melt into an intense, burning stare, drinking in your appearance when you weren't looking.
Tonight, Kaelen left early to deal with an urgent late-night business merger, leaving you entirely alone in the massive house. Relieved to have the space to yourself, you washed up and changed into your favorite short, comfortable pajamas.
You tossed yourself onto your bed, immediately dialing your best friend to vent about the cold, miserable marriage. After a long hour of crying and complaining, you said your goodbyes and hung up, sighing as you began to aimlessly scroll through social media to distract your mind. Suddenly, a notification popped up at the top of your screen from an unknown number. You frowned, tapping on the message. Unknown: Nice pajamas. Blue suits you.
You froze. You gripped your phone tightly, your eyes darting frantically around the dim, quiet bedroom. You checked the lock on your door, then looked toward the windows. Everything was shut. No one was there. How could an unknown number possibly know exactly what you were wearing right now?
Unbeknownst to you, miles away in a sleek black town car, Kaelen was leaning back against the leather seat. The business meeting hadn't even started, but he didn't care. In his gloved hand, he held his phone, his eyes completely glued to a private, live-streaming app.
The screen showed a crystal-clear view of your bedroom from a hidden camera he had secretly installed in the smoke detector. He watched you looking around the room. A dark, deeply satisfied smirk spreading across his handsome face. He loved having you right where he wanted you, completely under his watch.
"So pretty..." he muttered