I stood frozen in the middle of the mansion's absurdly spacious hall. This satin wedding dress worth hundreds of millions felt like a shroud wrapped around my body. I was not a bride; I was collateral. My father, the man I respected, had handed me over to Dante to settle his ruined business debts. In one night, my identity changed from the daughter of a businessman to collateral in a black market transaction.
"I have urgent business abroad. Don't wait for me!" Dante said coldly.
The man who had just become my husband didn't even touch my fingers when he said it. He walked away without looking back, leaving me alone in this large house that was being renovated. The mansion was full of cables hanging from the ceiling and the sharp smell of wood, very messy and unfamiliar.
Just as I was about to step towards the stairs, there was a loud clap of thunder. Blarrr! The next second, total darkness engulfed everything. The power went out.
A stiff breath escaped my throat. I hated the dark, but I hated the fact that I was trapped here even more. With trembling hands, I felt my way along the rough walls of the hallway, which had not yet been painted. I had to find my husband's room on the second floor, at the end of the hallway. Those were the instructions the maid had given me that afternoon.
I stumbled along, holding back the tears choking my throat. Why did I have to be so strong when my world had just crumbled? I just wanted to sleep and forget that I had been sold.
At the end of the hallway, I felt a large wooden doorknob. I turned it with my last ounce of courage. As soon as the door opened, the thick aroma of tobacco and sandalwood immediately assaulted my senses. Masculine, wild, and intoxicating.
I stepped into the darkness of the room. "Dante? Are you back? You didn't leave?"
There was no answer. However, I sensed someone's presence. The atmosphere here was very hot, as if all the oxygen had been sucked out. Suddenly, a large, powerful hand covered my mouth from behind. My body was pulled with one rough jerk until my back was pressed against a broad, hard chest.
I could feel every muscle in the man's chest pulsing strongly beneath his thin shirt. In fact, the muscles in his arms were as hard as stone as he held me captive. His scent—a mixture of expensive tobacco and sandalwood—was so dominant that it filled my lungs and made my consciousness begin to fade.
"You came too, little bride," a deep voice whispered right into my ear. His hot breath made my entire body tremble violently.
I wanted to scream that he had the wrong person, but my tongue was tied. With one brutal movement, this man forced me onto my back and pushed me onto the soft bed. In the total darkness, I couldn't see his face, but I felt his rough fingers begin to tear the lace of my wedding dress with one brutal pull. While its giant body immediately pinned me down, cutting off all escape routes.
Sret!
My bare shoulder was suddenly exposed. The coldness of the floor and the heat of the man's body created a sensation that was both terrifying and insane. This man was not as cold as Dante, whom I had seen in the church that afternoon. He was like a predator that had been hungry for a long time.
His large hand now caressed my neck, his thumb pressing my jaw so that I would look at him, who was invisible.
The man lowered his head, his heavy breath hitting my trembling lips.
"Tonight, you belong to no one... but me," he growled before his lips silenced mine with a rough and demanding kiss.
I was swept away by fear and passion that shouldn't have been there. I thought my husband had returned and revealed his true self.
The silk wedding dress that had once been my pride and joy was now torn to shreds under the man's grip. I could hear his heavy breathing, hunting near my neck, as if he were a predator who had just found the most delicious prey after years of starvation. My body trembled violently, not only because of the cold air conditioning that was starting to die, but because of the heat that crept from every inch of his skin that touched mine.
"Dante... please, take it slow..." I whispered, barely audible. My voice was choked by the tears that began to flow.
The man didn't stop. Instead, he pressed my body harder against the bed, pinning both my hands above my head with one of his large hands. His strength was absolute. I had no room to fight back, even if I wanted to. In the thick darkness, my senses became ten times sharper. I could feel every muscle in his arms, hard as stone, and the scent of his body—a mixture of expensive tobacco and masculine sweat—began to fill my lungs.
Panic gripped me. I tried to struggle, but his grip was too strong. The darkness became suffocating, swallowing all my courage. I felt like an object, not a human being. Each breath on my neck was a reminder of my helplessness. Tears blurred my vision, making the shadows around me even more frightening. I closed my eyes, hoping this was all just a nightmare that would soon end. But the bitter reality was evident in every rough touch, in every inevitable push.
"You are so beautiful in this darkness, Reia," he whispered again, his voice hoarse and deep.
He didn't call me his wife. He said my name as if it were a curse. The brutality of his actions left me feeling broken. I clutched his broad shoulders, my nails digging into his strong back muscles. I felt my tears fall onto the pillow, mourning my shattered self-esteem along with this pain. My mind drifted to my father's debt agreement. Was this the price I had to pay? To surrender my entire soul to this darkness?
Every time he moved, I felt a tremor of fear spread to the tips of my toes. The hallway of my heart felt filled with despair. I hated myself for seeking warmth from a man who might be my husband—or perhaps a demon in disguise.
That night seemed endless. He kept making me feel powerless, draining all my strength until I could only lie limp under his control. He left marks that would be silent witnesses to the brutality of this night.
His hands began to get naughty, he caressed the curves of my body, then kissed my stomach. At that moment, his fingers began to touch my sensitive parts and slipped into my underwear.
A strange sensation flowed through my body. But I liked what he was doing. It made me unable to resist, and I grabbed the man's hair. My body writhed with pleasure, and my breath became ragged because of his intoxicating actions. I couldn't even resist myself to refuse this.
"You're so exciting... I really can't stand it anymore."