Alysha Jarl sat waiting in the dimly lit luxury of her five-star hotel room, her heart a relentless, wild rhythm. This was her wedding night, though it felt like something out of a strange dream. The room—lavishly prepared with golden lights casting shadows across plush furniture and a bed adorned in layers of silk—only made her feel more alone, more aware of the fact that she was waiting for a man she had never met.Her new husband, Armin Rodriguez Suegra, was a mystery to her. She hadn’t seen him, not even in photos, yet tonight she was supposed to meet him for the first time. Their marriage was just ink on paper, a contract arranged by the Suegra and Jarl families, sealed with signatures for the sake of power, legacy, and alliance. And here she was, dressed in a gown of white lace, feeling both like a bride and a stranger in her own life.Outside, the sound of footsteps echoed down the marble hallway, growing closer.Just then, the faintest sound—a soft click—echoed through the su
The morning light filtered through the curtains, Alysha slowly opened her eyes, her body still nestled against her new husband's chest. His arm held her securely, his breathing deep and steady, lost in the depths of sleep. She could feel the rise and fall of his chest beneath her, the warmth of his body surrounding her like a protective cocoon.Carefully, she shifted to look up at him, taking in his features for the first time in the soft morning glow. Her heart swelled with unexpected happiness. She had never anticipated her husband would be this handsome. His strong jawline, the soft waves of his hair, and the faint lines that etched his face gave him an air of mystery and maturity that she hadn’t expected. Alysha smiled, feeling a strange warmth blossom in her chest. But as her eyes lingered on him, a thought nagged at the back of her mind. He looked much older than she had imagined. She was only 18, and her husband, Armin Rodriguez, was supposed to be just five years older than h
"This man... he isn't Armin Rodriguez," Neil repeated, his voice strained, as though he were grappling with the weight of the revelation himself. Alysha’s heart pounded in her chest, her mind spinning as the world around her seemed to tilt. Everything she thought she knew, everything she had just begun to feel—now felt like it was shattering before her eyes.Her legs felt weak as the room swayed slightly, the realization hitting her with the force of a tidal wave. She glanced back at the man she thought was her husband, her body stiff with fear, confusion, and disbelief. How could this be? How could the man she shared a bed with not be her husband?Trembling, Alysha whispered, "Who... who is he, then?"Neil stood there, completely frozen, his eyes still locked on the figure lying in the bed. His mind raced as the horrifying truth settled in: the man sleeping beside Alysha was not Armin Rodriguez—it was none other than the infamous billionaire, Ivan Anderson Suegra, Armin's uncle Sueg
Neil guided Alysha through the dim hotel corridor, moving quickly but quietly, his grip on her arm firm as he pulled her along. The opulent halls of the Suegra Hotel seemed to close in on them, every shadow a potential threat, every distant sound setting their nerves on edge. The urgency in his movements told Alysha everything she needed to know—danger was closing in fast.They reached a back stairwell, and Neil pushed the door open, leading her down several flights of stairs at a near-run. Alysha’s heart raced in time with their hurried steps, her pulse a fierce drumbeat in her ears. She glanced back over her shoulder, paranoia creeping in, every thought plagued by fear that someone might already be coming for her.Once they finally burst through a side exit, cold morning air hit her face, sharp and bracing. The city was barely awake, the street eerily silent as they dashed across it, disappearing into the maze of alleys and side roads. Neil didn’t stop or slow, his grip unyielding a
Alysha's confusion deepened as she struggled to comprehend the implications of Neil's warning.Shaken to her core, Alysha felt a surge of fear coursing through her veins as she contemplated the consequences of her actions. "Shall we not explain them about the situation?" she asked, her voice tinged with desperation.But Neil's response was swift and unwavering, his gaze piercing as he sought to convey the gravity of their predicament. "Alysha, you are young, you have no idea about Suegra family, and they're unpredictable. A number of hypocrites and crack heads are all in that family" he explained, his tone darker than usual. "If the Suegra family were to discover that you went to another man instead of your husband, they will stop at nothing to bury you alive!"This was the last thing Alysha needed to hear. She had been dragged from her quiet life in a farming village into this glittering, treacherous world, where secrets slithered beneath every interaction, every whispered word. She
Ivan Anderson's eyes weren’t fully open yet, he searched the space beside him for the beautiful woman who had captivated his senses the night before. But to his dismay, the bed lay empty.Ivan’s eyes fluttered open, the remnants of last night’s haze clinging to him. His hand instinctively reached across the bed, searching for the warmth of the woman from last night—the mysterious woman who had ignited him with a fire he hadn’t felt in years. But his hand fell on cold, empty sheets. He bolted upright, his head pounding from the aftermath of too much whiskey, his body still humming from the intensity of their night together.“Damn it,” he muttered, running a hand through his tousled blond hair, his piercing blue eyes scanning the room. The bed was empty, untouched on the side where she should have been. He racked his memory, fragments of her laughter, her warmth, the feel of her skin slipping in and out of focus, but her face was maddeningly unclear. He had been drunk—too drunk to even
In the security room of the Suegra Hotel, Henry and his men stood frozen, eyes glued to the now-empty CCTV screens. The night’s footage had vanished without a trace, every angle, every corridor, every critical second erased. A tension thick enough to cut hung in the air, each man feeling the weight of what this could mean. Ivan’s security was above all else, his movements carefully monitored, guarded—but now, someone had managed to delete the only evidence of last night’s events.“What the hell happened here?” Henry muttered, his jaw clenched as he looked over the footage logs. It didn’t make sense; the system was supposed to be impenetrable. But someone had wiped it clean. The timeline for each camera was gone, as if no one had been there at all.One of his men cleared his throat, clearly rattled. “Sir, someone did this deliberately. There’s no way the system failed on its own. And if they knew enough to delete the footage, they knew Ivan was in that room.”Henry’s eyes narrowed, hi
Seraphina, with a satisfied smile playing on her lips, climbed back onto the bed, straddling Armin's chest as her hair cascaded down like a silken curtain around them. Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she leaned in closer, her body warm against his. Armin, still basking in the afterglow of their passionate encounter, grinned and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her down onto his chest."Did you like it, Armin?" she asked softly, her voice laced with playful confidence. Her fingers traced gentle patterns on his skin, her lips hovering just above his.Armin chuckled, a deep, satisfied sound rumbling in his chest. "Hell yeah!" he exclaimed, his hand slipping into her hair as he looked into her eyes, full of desire and affection. "You know exactly how to make me happy, Seraphina." His voice softened as he spoke her name, savoring the way it sounded in the intimate quiet between them. "Finally… you are completely mine."Seraphina's smile widened, her heart swelling at his words. She
Lilian exhaled deeply, the tension in her shoulders easing only slightly. “Thank God,” she muttered under her breath. “It’s too difficult to deal with Ivan. At least he’s gone for now.”She glanced at her husband, Gabriel, who stood silently, his expression unreadable. But she knew him too well. Gabriel wasn’t fooled by Ivan’s retreat.“He’s gone now,” she said cautiously, “but I know what you’re thinking. He’ll never stop.”Gabriel’s jaw tightened, his thoughts heavy. Ivan was relentless, and his obsession with Alysha was more dangerous than Lilian understood. “You’re right,” Gabriel said, his tone low and measured. “Ivan will keep trying. He’ll do whatever it takes to separate Armin and Alysha. No cost is too high for him.”Lilian looked at him, concern etched on her face. “And what will you do about it?”Gabriel’s gaze turned cold, his mind already calculating. “I’ll do what I must,” he said. “I can’t let him succeed.”But even as he spoke, the weight of a darker truth pressed down
Armin stepped forward, his movements calm but deliberate, like a predator circling its prey. “You heard me. If that child belongs to Alysha—her flesh and blood—then she’s my responsibility now. I’ll adopt her and give her my name. Rodriguez.”“You son of a—” Ivan’s roar echoed through the room, his rage spilling over as he lunged toward Armin. “How dare you!”Armin didn’t flinch, his expression unbothered as Ivan’s fury washed over him. “Don’t act so shocked,” he said coolly. “If you were such a devoted father, you wouldn’t have kept her hidden all these years. Or does Sisi only matter when it’s convenient for you?”Ivan’s fists shook, his knuckles white with tension. “You think you can just take her? Replace me? You don’t even know her!”Armin’s eyes narrowed. He had expected Ivan to play this card. Of course, the mystery daughter no one had seen. A convenient weapon to twist Alysha’s emotions. He uncrossed his arms and stepped forward with a smirk.“I’ll adopt her.”The words were c
Armin rushed to catch Alysha as she crumpled to the floor, his grip turning tender in an instant. “Alysha, look at me!” His voice cracked, the anger replaced by a flicker of panic.Ivan moved closer, his eyes narrowing. “Back off. She’s not safe with you.”“She’s my wife!” Armin growled, pulling her limp body closer. “Don’t you dare touch her.”Ivan ignored him, crouching down, his voice calm but firm. “Alysha, can you hear me? You’re stronger than this. You’ve always been stronger.”A faint groan escaped Alysha’s lips, her eyelids fluttering. The tension between the men hung like a storm cloud, neither willing to give ground.Alysha’s knees buckled as she collapsed to the floor, clutching her head. Armin crouched beside her, his hand immediately on her shoulder.“Alysha!” he said, his tone shifting to panic. “What’s wrong? Talk to me!”Ivan shoved Armin aside, kneeling in front of her. “Alysha, look at me. Are you okay? Can you hear me?”Her vision blurred as the fragments in her min
Armin stormed toward Alysha and shoved Ivan aside with unrestrained force. Alysha gasped, her breath hitching in shock."Stay away from my wife, you fucking bastard!" Armin snarled, his voice sharp with possessiveness.Ivan's fists clenched, his entire body trembling with rage. A fiery storm brewed in his eyes, and for a fleeting, dangerous moment, he wanted nothing more than to tear Armin apart.Ignoring Ivan's wrath, Armin grabbed Alysha's hand and yanked her closer, pulling her against his chest. Alysha's eyes widened, her gaze darting up to him, filled with fear and confusion."You don’t even remember him, Alysha," Armin said coldly, his tone low and biting. "You have no memory of your past. So why does his presence even matter?" His grip tightened slightly as he leaned closer, his words cutting through her like shards of ice."The fact is, you are my wife. My legally married wife. That makes you mine—only mine. Do you understand?"Alysha flinched at his words, her heart pounding.
But Gabriel stepped forward, his face cold, his voice cutting like steel. “Armin isn’t bluffing, Ivan. You know the consequences of defying this family.” His gaze shifted to Alysha, hardening. “And so does she.”Lilian’s tearful eyes met Alysha’s, and though she said nothing, her silence spoke volumes—this was how it was, and there was no escaping the life they had built. Alysha’s breath caught, and she felt the crushing reality of it all—the weight of an empire, the rules she had never asked for, and the life that was never truly hers to live.“Please,” Alysha whispered, her voice barely holding as she looked at Armin. “Don’t drag Andrine into this. She’s innocent.”Armin’s eyes softened for a split second, but it was gone as quickly as it came, replaced by the same cold resolve. “Then do as I say. Be the wife you were meant to be.” He reached out, his fingers grazing her arm, and the possessiveness in his touch was undeniable. “You know what you need to do.”Ivan’s body tensed besid
Alysha’s heart pounded in her chest, her breath coming in shallow gasps. The heat of Armin’s gaze pinned her in place, and despite the firm grip Ivan had around her, she felt the weight of Armin’s words coil around her like chains. Her eyes flicked from Armin to Ivan, then to Gabriel and Lilian, all of them watching her as if her next move would decide the fate of everything.Ivan’s grip on her tightened protectively, his body coiled like a spring. “You can threaten all you want, Armin,” he said, his voice steady, but the tension rippled beneath his words. “But I’ll do whatever it takes to free her from this family’s grasp. She deserves better.”Armin’s smile was cruel, his eyes filled with a calculating gleam. “And what does ‘better’ look like, Ivan?” He took a slow, deliberate step closer, challenging Ivan with every move. “You think you can just steal her away and everything will be fine? That you’ll just walk out of here and live some fairytale?”Gabriel, sensing the escalation, h
Ivan’s grip around Alysha tightened, his eyes flashing with determination as he stared down Armin. “You don’t have to sign the divorce papers, Armin,” he growled, his voice low and filled with defiance. “I’ll make the divorce happen without your signature.”The room went silent, every breath held in suspense. Armin’s eyes darkened, a dangerous glint sparking in his gaze. He tilted his head, assessing his uncle as if daring him to make the next move. “You think you can just take her from me, Ivan?” he asked, his voice dripping with cold amusement. “You really think that’ll work?”Ivan’s jaw clenched, but he remained unfazed. “Yes, I do,” he shot back. “There are ways to make it happen. And I’m not letting her stay trapped in this loveless arrangement.”Alysha’s heart raced, feeling the tension between the two men escalate. Ivan’s hold on her was firm, protective, but the stakes were high, and she could see the fire burning in Armin’s eyes. This was no longer just about family commitmen
Alysha’s voice was trembling, but she forced herself to speak. “Listen to me, Armin. I have no memory of my past. I forgot everything. But one thing I couldn’t forget is Ivan.”Armin’s eyes narrowed, skepticism written all over his face as he rolled his eyes, brushing off her words like an inconvenience. “Oh, please…” he muttered, his tone laced with disbelief. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”But Ivan’s reaction was different. His eyes lit up, a flash of hope breaking through the tension in his face. His heart surged, beating like a drum in his chest. Alysha’s choice was clear—she chose him.Alysha’s hands trembled as she spoke, her eyes shifting downward, her voice quiet but resolute. “I forgot everything, even myself… but the one thing that stayed with me, the one thing I could remember—was his face. His name. Ivan.”Armin scratched the back of his neck, his expression a mask of irritation as he glared at her. “And what does that even mean, Alysha?” he snapped, his frustration m
Alysha’s hand flew to her chest, her breath shallow as she struggled to keep her composure. “Armin… you’re still with Seraphina Holland,” she said, her voice tinged with a mix of accusation and desperation. “She even claims herself as your wife.”Armin’s eyes flashed, but he shrugged it off, a dismissive smile playing on his lips. “Ah… that’s nonsense.” He waved a hand, like swatting away a fly. “She’s just saying that. But I never married her.”Alysha’s eyes hardened, and she pulled back, trying to create distance between them. “That’s between you and her, Armin. But I don’t want to be a part of it anymore.” Her voice wavered, but there was a strength behind it, a plea that came from deep within. “Please… let me go.”Armin’s smile faded, replaced with a dark, calculating look. “Let you go where, Doctor Alysha Jarl?”The words hit her like a punch, and she felt her breath hitch. Her eyes widened, and she felt the blood drain from her face. “You… you know?” she whispered, her voice bar