Chapter 1 The Unwanted Marriage

"Be good. Hold me. Don't move..."

A deep, gritty voice, edged with an irresistible allure, whispered harshly against Nicole Wilson's ear, his breath scorching her skin in the pitch-black darkness.

Heat radiated relentlessly from his body, enveloping Nicole entirely, causing every muscle in her body to stiffen in fear. She felt her breaths becoming shorter, more frantic. Her mind screamed at her to escape, yet her body remained frozen.

The sensation consumed her, pulling her deeper, as though she were slipping beneath the surface of dark, icy waters.

His kisses landed on her skin like drops of fire, one after another, each one burning. Sweat slipped from his forehead and traced a slow, burning path along Nicole's neck. With a mix of care and possessiveness, his fingers chased away the dampness on her collarbone, leaving behind a trail of warmth.

It felt like the weight of him could crush her spirit entirely.

Softly, yet undeniably seductive, he murmured close to her ear, "There's no need to be afraid-I'll make you my wife."

Tenderly, he brushed the tears from Nicole's cheeks, treating her like something incredibly precious, only to claim her lips fiercely the very next moment.

Suddenly, Nicole jolted awake, her breath coming in sharp gasps. Looking around-she was still in the car.

The same nightmare-the one that relentlessly haunted her-had returned once again. That suffocating room. The edge of danger in the air. His distinctive, raspy whisper... It always felt too vivid, too real to be just a dream.

Taking slow, deliberate breaths, Nicole fought to steady her trembling nerves, though the memories from five years ago stubbornly lingered.

Beyond the car windows, sunlight spilled generously over the city. Ariosa had grown busier, more alive than she'd ever recalled it being.

She hadn't even noticed how much time had slipped by-five years locked away in that mental hospital.

It all began when her younger sister, Marissa Wilson, plotted against her five years ago and sent her to spend the night with a stranger, costing Nicole her virginity.

Within a month, Nicole discovered she was pregnant, though the father's identity remained an agonizing mystery. That same year, her child was born lifeless.

During that same time, the business of her father, Brody Wilson, soared. Every family member had a stake in it-even her, the daughter he had discarded and sent off to rot in the countryside.

Together, Cathy Wilson, her own mother, and Marissa schemed to cast her out, locking her away in the mental hospital. Taking advantage of her weakened state after childbirth, they'd stolen her rightful ten percent of the shares of the Wilson Group.

Now, Marissa was set to marry into the prominent Moore family through an arranged marriage-to become Aidan Moore's wife. Rumors painted Aidan, the Moore family's second son, as disable and repulsive, condemned by a fortune-teller to die young, before reaching twenty-eight. Very few people had ever laid eyes on Aidan in person.

Someone like Aidan had never been what Cathy had in mind for Marissa. That was when they suddenly remembered her.

Under the cover of night, they sent a driver to drag her out of the mental hospital. If Marissa's future hadn't been dangling on the edge, they would've let her rot behind those locked doors forever.

Reclining in the back seat, Nicole shut her eyes, her face carved from ice.

Everything they had stolen from her, she was ready to take it all back. This time, the ones who once crushed her weren't getting away without damage.

Soon enough, she reached the Wilson family's residence. Five years had stripped this place of any affection. For her, it was nothing more than a shell.

Her steps were steady as she walked up the driveway. Just as she reached the doorway, she caught sight of Cathy and Marissa, laughing over walnut ice cream like the world was perfect.

"If you hadn't come up with the plan to make that useless girl stand in for you, I swear I would've cried myself to sleep."

Marissa replied softly, "Please, Mom. Don't talk about Nicole like that. I'd be completely lost without her. I'm just scared she won't say yes to any of this."

Cathy let out a short laugh. "She got pregnant by some guy no one even knows and ended up giving birth to a corpse. She should be grateful anyone's offering to marry her at all. And it's the Moores. She doesn't even have the right to utter a rejection."

"Think about it-your mother's not wrong. You're going way too easy on her. Have you really forgotten what she put you through five years ago?" Brody said, his jaw tight.

Marissa finally gave a small nod. "You can count on me, Dad. I'll never be a burden like Nicole. Marc and I will always be the ones you and Mom can brag about."

Just hearing the name of Marc Wilson-his son-made Brody's expression ease up.

Back when the Wilson Group was drowning in debt, Marc had pulled them out of it. He kept the company going when everyone thought it was over.

"And what makes you so sure I'll go along with any of this?" Nicole's cold voice suddenly broke through the living room.

The three froze and turned as one toward the sound.

Cathy's mood soured at once. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be on your way to the Moore family?"

"Grandmother set up a will before her passing, leaving me and Marissa each with ten percent shares in Wilson Group. Don't you think it's about time I got my shares back?" Nicole retorted.

Brody slammed his hand down on the table and stormed toward her. "You humiliated this family. The stock price tanked because of your mess. I took those shares for a reason. After all that, you still have the nerve to ask for them back!?"

Unshaken, Nicole met his furious glare with a smirk. "It's fine you don't give them back."

She made her way to the couch, dropped into the cushions, crossed one leg over the other, and continued without a hint of rush, "Then I'm not getting married today."

"You little-" Brody raised his hand, ready to strike.

There wasn't the slightest twitch from Nicole. She raised her chin, met his eyes, and spoke in a voice cold enough to freeze the air. "Go ahead. Hit me. The second you do, I'll walk away from the shares, and this marriage deal dies right there."