Chapter 4 – Unwanted Touch

The Lee family’s annual charity gala glittered under chandeliers of crystal and pride. Seoul’s elite floated through the ballroom in designer gowns and diamond smiles. For them, generosity was just another form of power.

Sophia stood near the edge of the crowd, her champagne untouched. She wore a silver evening gown that hugged her frame with quiet confidence — not flashy, but breathtaking. Every head turned when she entered on Ethan’s arm. And yet, she could feel the chill of his presence even as he stood inches away.

“Remember what I said,” Ethan murmured without looking at her, voice smooth as ice.

“No unnecessary conversation. Smile when needed. Nothing more.”

Sophia’s lips curved slightly. “You mean, act like your shadow.”

He finally glanced at her — a warning glint in his eyes. “Know your place, Sophia.”

She inhaled slowly, refusing to let his words sting. You wanted this marriage, Father. I’ll endure it, she reminded herself.

The orchestra shifted to a slower rhythm. Waiters moved gracefully among Seoul’s richest. Ethan drifted away to greet investors, his commanding tone slicing through the polite chatter. Sophia watched him from a distance — so composed, so untouchable — until a deep voice broke her focus.

“Mrs. Han, isn’t it?”

She turned to see Damien Kwon, CEO of K-Global Holdings, a man with a reputation for arrogance that rivaled Ethan’s. His suit gleamed black as midnight, and his smile carried the weight of a challenge.

“I didn’t expect the infamous Ice CEO’s wife to be this beautiful,” he said, lowering his voice. “They say your marriage is… purely contractual?”

Sophia’s spine straightened. “They say many things, Mr. Kwon. Most are lies.”

He chuckled, stepping closer. “Then tell me which part is true. Does he even know how to treat a woman like you?”

Her eyes hardened. “I think this conversation is over.”

But Damien leaned forward, his breath brushing her ear. “You deserve warmth, Mrs. Han. Someone who actually—”

“그만해.” (Stop.)

The word sliced through the air, low and dangerous.

Ethan stood behind them, expression unreadable, glass still in hand. But the storm in his eyes could have shattered glass.

Sophia exhaled in relief — until she saw the fury beneath his calm.

He stepped between them, voice cold as the winter wind.

“Mr. Kwon, you’re stepping out of line.”

Damien smirked. “I was only complimenting your wife. You should be proud.”

Ethan’s lips curved — but it wasn’t a smile. “No one touches what’s mine.”

The entire hall seemed to freeze. Even the music faltered.

Ethan’s words weren’t shouted, but they hit like thunder.

He took Sophia’s wrist, gentle but firm, and guided her away from the stunned crowd. The whispering began instantly — Did you hear what he said? He called her his.

Outside the ballroom, under the corridor lights, Ethan released her hand abruptly. His jaw was tight, his voice sharp.

“Next time, don’t talk to men like that.”

Sophia blinked. “Like what? I didn’t do anything wrong!”

“You attracted attention.”

“I existed!” she snapped. “What do you expect me to do, disappear?”

He turned away, but she stepped closer, anger flaring.

“You tell me to know my place, but what is my place, Ethan? To stand behind you, smile when told, breathe only when permitted?”

He faced her then, eyes like storm clouds. “You don’t understand the world you’ve stepped into, Sophia. People like Damien will use you to get to me.”

“Then let me fight beside you,” she said, voice trembling but firm. “Not as your pawn — as your partner.”

His breath hitched. For a moment, her words reached the place he’d buried under frost.

He took a slow step forward, closing the space between them. The air shifted, heavy with something unnamed.

“Partner?” he echoed, voice low. “You think you can handle the fire that follows me?”

Sophia met his gaze fearlessly. “Maybe your fire is what I’ve needed all along.”

For one heartbeat, they stood inches apart. Her perfume, soft and floral, tangled with the crisp scent of his cologne. His hand lifted — almost brushed her cheek — then froze midair.

He dropped it. The mask returned.

“Go back to the car,” he said flatly. “I’ll handle the rest.”

She searched his eyes for the warmth she’d glimpsed, but it was gone. Only ice remained.

As she turned to leave, she murmured under her breath,

“冰做的心，也会疼 (A heart made of ice still feels pain).”

Ethan watched her walk away, her words echoing in his chest like cracks forming in a frozen lake. He clenched his fists, trying to suppress the heat rising inside him — anger, jealousy… desire. He couldn’t tell which burned more.

Back inside the hall, Damien raised his glass toward Ethan from afar, smirking. The unspoken challenge glinted between them: You can’t protect what you can’t control.

Ethan’s expression hardened, his voice low and deadly.

“Try her again, and I’ll bury your company with one call.”

Outside, rain began to fall — thin, icy drops sliding down the mansion’s glass walls. Sophia sat alone in the car, her reflection blurred by the downpour. For the first time, she realized something terrifying.

The man she’d married wasn’t just cold.

He was burning — from the inside out.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***