Chapter 1: The Night That Changed Everything.
The dim glow of the hotel suite bathed everything in a golden hue, casting long shadows against the silk-draped walls. A faint floral fragrance lingered in the air, mixing with the faint trace of expensive cologne.
Xia Zhelan's vision was hazy, her limbs heavy. A strange heat coursed through her veins, making it difficult to think. Her step-sister, Xia Meiyu, had handed her a drink earlier that evening—one she now realized had been laced with something sinister.
She stumbled toward the bed, her body betraying her, her mind screaming for clarity. This wasn't her room. Panic clawed at her chest as she tried to find the strength to move, but the drug pulled her under, dulling her resistance.
Then, the door creaked open.
A towering figure stepped inside, his presence so commanding that it seemed to shift the air itself. Even through her haze, she sensed the raw dominance he exuded. His aura was suffocating—dark, enigmatic, dangerously intoxicating. His expensive shirt was unbuttoned at the top, revealing a sculpted chest, and his sleeves were carelessly rolled up, exposing veins that spoke of power and control.
But there was something off about him too.
His movements were precise yet unsteady, as though he, too, was fighting against something unnatural. A slow exhale left his lips, a deep, controlled sound, but his breathing was labored.
The scent of him—masculine, crisp, familiar—stirred something deep within her, but she couldn't grasp why. The moment their eyes met, a storm raged behind his dark gaze, filled with restrained desire and an unfamiliar softness, as though something within him recognized her.
He didn't speak.
The world tilted. The drug pulled her further into its grasp. A hand—firm, warm—brushed against her cheek before everything went
Morning sunlight filtered through sheer curtains, casting a warm glow over the tangled sheets. Xia Zhelan stirred, her body aching in ways she couldn't comprehend. Her fingers clutched the silken fabric as fragmented memories from the night before invaded her mind.
Her breath hitched.
She sat up, scanning the room in a daze, only to realize she was alone. The only evidence of another presence was the lingering scent on the sheets and the faint warmth where someone had once lain beside her.
Her heart pounded.
The man from last night—who was he? Her mind was a mess, unable to recall his face clearly, only the overwhelming sensation of his presence.
A sharp knock at the door sent a jolt through her body. She wrapped herself in the sheets just as the door swung open.
Xia Meiyu stood there, a cruel smile playing on her lips.
"You look like you had a wild night," she sneered, arms crossed. "Shame your dear fiancé won't think so."
It was then that the horrifying truth sank in.
She had been set up.