💬 Author’s Message:

Hey beautiful readers 💕

This is my first novel story is filled with heartbreak, healing, and the dangerous kind of love that changes everything.

If you love CEO×Normal Girl, Enemies to Lovers, and Redemption arcs, this one’s for you 💋

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Author_AnimeAuraGirl

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[Scene: Grand ballroom of the Black Corporation Hotel. Glittering chandeliers. Cameras flashing.]

👰‍♀️ Bride: (smiling softly) I can’t believe this day is finally here…

🤵‍♂️ Adrian Black: (cold smile) It’s not over yet. The show’s just begun.

💐 [Crowd applauds. Reporters swarm around the stage.]

Suddenly—

💥 CRASH!

A tray of wine shatters across the floor, staining the bride’s million-dollar gown crimson.

😱 Crowd: What—?!

👀 Reporter: “Who did that?!”

[Camera pans to a terrified girl clutching an empty tray.]

🥺 Lia Park: “I-I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to—!”

💢 Bride’s Mother: “You clumsy little—do you know what you’ve done?!”

💔 Lia: “Please, I’ll pay for the damage! I just—my brother’s medicine— I needed this job!”

[Everyone whispers. Adrian’s gaze darkens as he looks at her face.]

😈 Adrian: (murmuring) “Lia Park… so fate finally brings you to me.”

🥺 Lia: “What…? You know me?”

🔥 Adrian: (steps closer, voice low) “Oh, I know everything about you.”

[He grabs her wrist, pulling her out of the ballroom before the cameras can follow.]

---

[Scene: Private corridor — lights dim. Tension thick in the air.]

😨 Lia: “Please, I’ll accept any punishment—just don’t fire me!”

😠 Adrian: “Punishment? You think this is about a job?”

💢 Lia: “Then what do you want from me?!”

💬 Adrian: (leans in close, his breath brushing her ear)

“You ruined my life years ago.

Now, you’ll make it up to me—by becoming my wife.”

💍 Lia: “W-what?!”

🔥 Adrian: “You heard me. Sign the contract... or watch your brother’s hospital shut down tomorrow.”

😢 Lia: (voice trembling) “You’re a monster…”

😈 Adrian: “Maybe. But I’m the only monster keeping your world alive.”

[Scene: Grand ballroom of the Black Corporation Hotel. Glittering chandeliers. A thousand roses line the marble floor.]

👰‍♀️ Bride (Evelyn): (smiling nervously) I still can’t believe I’m marrying the Adrian Black…

🤵‍♂️ Adrian: (tight smile) You should believe it. Once I decide something… there’s no turning back.

[Applause erupts. Reporters snap photos. Music swells.]

💬 MC: “And now, the kiss that seals forever—”

💥 CRASH!!!

A tray slips from trembling hands. Red wine explodes across the bride’s white gown like blood splatter.

😱 Guests gasp. Cameras flash.

👀 Reporter: “What just happened—?!”

[The music stops. The bride’s smile fades. Everyone turns.]

A young woman stands frozen—her uniform soaked, eyes wide with horror.

🥺 Lia Park: “I-I’m sorry! It was an accident—please, I didn’t mean to—!”

💢 Bride’s Mother: “You! Do you have any idea what that dress cost?! Get her out!”

💔 Lia: “Please don’t! I’ll pay for it, I swear! I just… I can’t lose this job. My brother—he’s sick…”

[Whispers ripple through the crowd.]

💬 Guest 1: “Isn’t that the orphan girl from the catering company?”

💬 Guest 2: “She ruined the wedding of Black Corporation’s CEO—she’s done for.”

[Adrian’s cold gaze lands on her. The world seems to fall silent.]

😈 Adrian (to himself): “Lia Park…”

(His voice darkens, low and dangerous)

“So fate finally remembers my name.”

🥺 Lia: “You… you know me?”

🔥 Adrian: “Oh, I do. I’ve been waiting twelve years for this moment.”

[He walks toward her, the crowd parting as his aura chills the room.]

💬 Evelyn (Bride): “Adrian! The cameras—what are you doing?!”

[He doesn’t answer. Instead, he grabs Lia’s wrist firmly.]

💢 Lia: “Let go of me! Please, you’re hurting—”

[He pulls her out of the ballroom, through a service door, slamming it shut.]

---

[Scene: Private corridor — cold lights, empty silence.]

😨 Lia: “Please… I’ll do anything. Don’t fire me. I need this job.”

🔥 Adrian: “This isn’t about a job.”

💔 Lia: “Then what do you want from me?!”

[He leans closer, voice sharp but trembling with emotion.]

💬 Adrian: “You want to pretend you don’t remember? That your family didn’t destroy mine?”

😳 Lia: “What are you talking about? I’ve never even met you before!”

[He smirks bitterly.]

😈 Adrian: “Of course you wouldn’t remember. You were just a scared little girl hiding behind your father’s lies.”

💬 Lia: “My father’s… dead.”

💬 Adrian: “And so is mine. Because of him.”

[Tears fill her eyes, confusion twisting inside her.]

💔 Lia: “That’s not true—please—”

[He steps closer, their faces inches apart.]

🔥 Adrian: “Oh, it’s very true. And now, Lia Park… you’ll pay the price.”

[He tosses a sleek folder at her feet.]

📄 Adrian: “A contract. One year. Be my wife. In name, in public, in every photo the media will see.”

😨 Lia: “What?! Why would I—”

💬 Adrian: “Because if you don’t… your brother’s hospital loses its funding tomorrow morning.”

🥀 Lia: (voice breaking) “You’re a monster…”

😈 Adrian: “Maybe. But I’m the only monster who can save you.”

[He turns away, voice cold.]

🔥 Adrian: “You have twenty-four hours to decide. And Lia… once you step into my world, there’s no going back.”

[He leaves her trembling in the empty hall as cameras click outside the door.]

💔 Lia (whispering): “What did I ever do to deserve this…”

---

[End of Chapter 1]

💖 Author’s Note:

Oof 😳 What a first encounter, right? Adrian’s dark aura is no joke 🔥

But is he truly evil... or just broken by love and revenge?

Oof 😳 That tension though!

Adrian’s anger runs deep, and Lia’s past is a mystery that will soon unravel…

Are you ready for their dangerous deal? 💍

👉 Don’t forget to LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE if you’re hooked!

💬 What do you think Lia should do—run or sign the contract?

⭐ Your votes keep me writing faster!

💬 QOTD: Should Lia sign the contract… or walk away from Adrian’s dark world?

Rain poured over the city that night, drumming against the cracked window of Lia’s tiny apartment. The sound should have been soothing — but to her, it felt like the ticking of a clock counting down her choices.

The contract lay on the table, its words blurring as her tears hit the paper.

A one-year marriage. Full compliance. Confidentiality clause.

Her signature would mean giving up everything — her dignity, her name, even her freedom.

But what did she have left to lose?

Her gaze fell to the photograph beside the contract. Her little brother’s thin face smiled up at her, unaware of the monster that now held their future in his hands.

> “He’s cruel… but he’s powerful,” she whispered.

“And if it keeps you alive, Min… then I’ll face the devil himself.”

With trembling fingers, Lia picked up the pen. The ink bled across the paper as she signed her name:

Lia Park.

The rain stopped the moment she finished, as if the sky itself had been holding its breath.

---

Morning arrived too soon.

The towering glass walls of Black Corporation reflected a city built on greed and ambition. As Lia stepped into the marble lobby, the guards’ eyes followed her every move. The receptionist didn’t even hide her sneer.

“Mr. Black is expecting you,” the woman said, her tone clipped.

The elevator doors slid open. Each floor she passed felt colder, sharper, until the doors finally opened to reveal Adrian Black’s office — all steel and silence.

He stood by the window, hands in his pockets, watching the rain-soaked skyline like a man who owned it.

“You signed,” he said without turning around.

Lia clenched her hands at her sides. “You left me no choice.”

A soft, humorless chuckle escaped him. “There’s always a choice, Miss Park. You just didn’t like the cost of the other one.”

When he finally turned, his gaze was so intense it rooted her to the floor. His dark eyes burned — not with anger, but with something worse.

Possession.

He reached for a black velvet box on his desk and opened it. Inside lay a diamond ring, glittering coldly under the light.

“Wear this,” he said, walking toward her. “The world believes I married you out of love. Let’s not ruin the illusion.”

She stepped back, shaking her head. “This isn’t a marriage. It’s punishment.”

Adrian’s lips curved, the ghost of a smirk. “Then consider it mercy. I could have destroyed you.”

He took her hand before she could resist and slid the ring onto her finger. It fit perfectly — too perfectly.

Her breath hitched. “You planned this… you planned everything.”

“I’ve had twelve years to plan,” he murmured. “Did you really think fate would let you walk back into my life uninvited?”

The air thickened, the space between them electric and suffocating. For a second, she thought she saw something flicker behind his eyes — a flash of pain, quickly smothered by pride.

He released her hand abruptly. “We’re holding a press conference at noon. You’ll smile, you’ll speak when spoken to, and you’ll remember what’s at stake if you don’t.”

“And what exactly is at stake?” she asked, lifting her chin.

Adrian stepped closer until his breath brushed her ear.

“Your brother’s next surgery,” he whispered. “And the life you claim to value more than your own.”

Lia’s heart twisted painfully. She wanted to hate him — needed to. But there was something about his voice, low and broken, that made her doubt even her anger.

She forced herself to meet his gaze. “You can chain me to your lies, Adrian Black. But you’ll never own me.”

He leaned back slightly, studying her face — and for the first time, his lips softened.

“Careful,” he said. “That kind of fire might make me want to keep you longer than a year.”

Before she could answer, the doors opened. Assistants flooded in with cameras and microphones, their voices sharp and eager.

Adrian’s mask slipped back into place — the ruthless CEO, untouchable and flawless. He slipped an arm around her waist, his hand resting firmly on her hip.

To the world, they looked perfect.

To Lia, it felt like a cage lined with diamonds.

“Smile,” he murmured. “The world is watching.”

And she did — because she had to.

Because somewhere across the city, her brother’s heart monitor was still beeping, and as long as it did, she would endure anything.

Even him.

---

End of Chapter 2

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💬 Author’s Note:

The contract is signed… but so is Lia’s fate. 💔

Adrian’s darkness hides a deeper wound — and Lia’s light might be the only thing powerful enough to reach it.

💖 Don’t forget to LIKE, VOTE, and SUBSCRIBE to keep their story going!

Tell me in the comments:

👉 Should Lia fight back… or start finding the cracks in Adrian’s armor?

---

The world called it a marriage made in heaven.

A perfect union between beauty and power.

But beneath the glittering headlines and flashing cameras, Lia Park stood beside Adrian Black, her fingers cold beneath the weight of his hand.

“Smile,” he whispered again, his lips barely moving.

His touch looked gentle to the world — but to her, it felt like a warning.

She turned toward the cameras, her face a practiced calm. She had to play her part. For Min. For survival.

When the press conference ended, the applause faded into silence. Lia tried to step away, but Adrian’s grip tightened just slightly — enough to remind her who controlled the script of her life now.

“You did well,” he said, his tone unreadable.

She looked at him, forcing herself not to tremble. “Do I get a thank you… or just another order?”

Adrian’s lips curved faintly. “Would you prefer a kiss instead?”

Her breath caught. “Don’t—”

But he was already leaning in.

Not gently. Not tenderly. It wasn’t a kiss of affection — it was a claim. His lips pressed against hers, cold and deliberate, while the cameras outside the hall snapped another round of photos through the glass.

For the world, it was a picture of devotion.

For Lia, it was the coldest kiss she’d ever known.

She didn’t push him away. Couldn’t. Because she knew every move was being watched, every emotion recorded.

When he finally let go, she whispered through trembling lips, “You don’t have to pretend when no one’s watching.”

Adrian’s eyes darkened. “That’s where you’re wrong, Lia. With me, someone’s always watching.”

Later that night, the mansion was eerily quiet. The servants avoided her gaze as she walked down the long marble halls to her new room — her cage, as she thought of it.

The walls were beautiful but suffocating, lined with white roses that smelled too sweet to be real. On the vanity sat another envelope, sealed in black wax.

Her name was written in his handwriting.

> “Rules for Mrs. Black.”

Her stomach turned. She unfolded the letter.

1️⃣ You will attend all social events as my wife.

2️⃣ You will not leave the mansion without permission.

3️⃣ You will not contact anyone from your past.

4️⃣ You will never speak of the contract.

5️⃣ You will not lie to me.

Her fingers trembled as she reached the last line, written in smaller letters, almost like a secret confession.

> 6️⃣ You will not make me feel again.

Lia’s heart froze. What did that mean?

Before she could think, the door opened. Adrian stepped inside, his expression unreadable.

“You found it,” he said, his voice low.

She looked up, anger flashing in her eyes. “You wrote rules like I’m your property.”

He moved closer until she could feel the heat radiating from him. “Because you are — at least for now.”

“I signed a contract, not my soul.”

“Same thing,” he said, almost softly.

But something flickered in his gaze — pain, or regret, or maybe both. He reached out as if to touch her face, then stopped himself.

“For what it’s worth,” he said quietly, “I don’t want to hurt you. But you stepped into a war you don’t understand.”

Lia swallowed. “Then explain it to me.”

Adrian looked away, his jaw tightening. “Not yet. Some truths destroy more than lies ever could.”

He turned toward the door, but before leaving, his voice dropped to a whisper.

“Sleep well, Mrs. Black. You’ll need your strength.”

When he left, Lia sat in silence — the echo of his kiss still burning on her lips, and the ache of a secret she hadn’t chosen pressing down on her chest.

Somewhere in the darkness of the mansion, she heard a piano begin to play — slow, haunting, and full of sorrow.

And though she didn’t know it yet…

it was Adrian himself, playing alone in the dark, trying to remember what love once felt like.

The melody drifted through the long marble corridors — soft, broken, and lonely.

Lia sat on the edge of her bed, the sound reaching her like a ghost from another life. She didn’t know he could play. She didn’t know he felt enough to create something that sounded like grief.

For a moment, her anger wavered.

Was that the same man who humiliated her in front of the cameras?

Or was that the part of him he tried to bury — the boy left behind in the ashes twelve years ago?

She wrapped her arms around herself, staring at the pale reflection in the mirror. “You can’t pity him, Lia,” she whispered to her own reflection. “He’s the reason you’re trapped here.”

But the truth lingered, cruel and quiet — pity was already creeping in, curling inside her like smoke.

Downstairs, Adrian’s fingers stilled on the piano keys.

He hadn’t realized how long he’d been playing.

For a fleeting second, he thought he saw his mother’s reflection in the glass window — smiling sadly, as if she pitied him.

He shut the lid hard. The sound echoed through the room.

“Don’t,” he muttered to himself. “Don’t feel anything.”

But when he looked at his hands, he could still feel the warmth of her skin from earlier… and it terrified him more than his own rage ever had.

He stood, shoving the memory away, and turned toward the study. He had work to bury himself in — files, contracts, numbers — anything that didn’t look like her face or sound like her voice.

Still, when he passed the grand staircase, he caught a glimpse of her door upstairs — closed, silent, but somehow pulling at him like gravity.

Adrian exhaled sharply and clenched his jaw.

“She wanted this deal,” he said under his breath.

But the words didn’t sound true anymore.

He didn’t know it yet,

but the woman he thought he owned was about to become the one thing he couldn’t control —

his heart.

But the woman he thought he owned was about to become the one thing he couldn’t control — his heart.

That night, the mansion slept in uneasy silence. Rain began to fall, soft at first, then harder, drumming against the tall windows like restless ghosts.

Lia couldn’t sleep. The room felt too big, too quiet, too unfamiliar.

She stood by the window, hugging her knees, watching the raindrops chase each other down the glass. Somewhere below, a light flickered in the west wing — the same direction she’d heard the piano.

Her curiosity stirred, sharp and dangerous.

She shouldn’t.

She knew she shouldn’t.

But something about that melody — that sorrow — wouldn’t let her rest.

Quietly, she slipped on her robe and stepped into the hallway. The floor was cold beneath her feet, the air heavy with the scent of rain and old memories.

As she reached the landing, a faint creak echoed — the kind of sound the house made when it remembered its secrets.

The light from the west wing glowed faintly through a half-open door. She hesitated, hand hovering over the knob.

And then, she heard it — a whisper.

Adrian’s voice. Low, rough, and broken.

> “I won’t lose again. Not this time.”

Her heart clenched. She took a small step back, afraid to be caught. But before she could retreat, the floorboard beneath her heel betrayed her with a soft creak.

The light inside shifted.

Adrian’s shadow turned.

For one suspended heartbeat, she saw his silhouette in the doorway — tall, composed… and dangerous.

> “Can’t sleep, Mrs. Black?”

His tone was calm, but the look in his eyes said something else entirely.

And Lia, caught like a trespasser in her own home, could only whisper the truth:

> “I heard the music.”

He stared at her for a long moment, then stepped closer, the darkness between them shrinking with each breath.

> “Careful, Lia,” he said softly, “some doors in this house don’t like to be opened.”

The storm outside thundered — a flash of lightning illuminating his face, half-shadowed, half-human.

And in that moment, she realized the same thing he feared most:

The past wasn’t buried.

It was alive…

and waiting for her to find it.

End of Chapter 3

💬 Author’s Note:

That final piano scene 😭 — Adrian’s mask is cracking, even if he doesn’t know it yet.

Lia is the first person to challenge him — and the first to stir the humanity he buried long ago.

💖 Don’t forget to LIKE, VOTE, and SUBSCRIBE — your support helps this story keep growing!