After what felt like an eternity, the man suddenly coughed up water and began to breathe again."Thank goodness. He’s alive!"Selune let out a shaky breath, relief flooding her chest. But even though he was breathing, he still hadn’t regained consciousness.They were in the middle of nowhere, with only her family’s secluded villa nearby. Selune didn’t have time to wait for help.She decided to take him inside first, and call an ambulance.If she left him here alone, he wouldn’t survive the night.With a grunt, She draped his heavy arm over her shoulder and struggled to lift his massive frame—he was at least six feet tall—towards the villa.She was glad she’d kept up with her fitness, but even with her strength, it was still a tough task. She had to stop and rest several times before finally reaching the villa.Meanwhile, from where Selune didn’t know, five Hummers sped along the mountain road, kicking up dust as they headed for the coast."Have you found Selune?" A middle-aged woman i

“It’s all your fault! I shouldn’t have saved you!”Selune’s voice trembled with fury, the anger boiling in her chest as she glared at the man standing in front of her.“Now I’ve been kicked out! Are you satisfied?!”The man didn’t respond, his silence only infuriating her more.“He doesn’t deserve to be your father.”Selune’s jaw clenched. “What do you know? Who the hell do you think you are, judging my father?!”Her frustration exploded. “Now everyone thinks I’m some kind of slut who can be picked up at the snap of a finger. This is your fault!”Tears stung her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.Since she was a little girl, Selune had believed that the only way to earn her parents and her family’s approval was by being perfect—by doing everything right.Even if it meant marrying a pervert, she would have done it willingly.But now, everything she had worked for, everything she’d sacrificed, had been destroyed by this stranger.The man replied nothing. Then, without warning, he c

"It's getting late. Grab your stuff. I'll be waiting in the car,"Selune said, glancing at her watch before turning and walking out of the villa without waiting for Arthur to respond.Arthur picked up his ruined combat suit from the floor. With a flick of his wrist, a burst of golden flame shot from his palm.In an instant, the suit was consumed by the fire, reduced to smoke that disappeared into the air.There was no trace left, just like the past he wanted to bury.He couldn’t afford to leave any evidence behind. His enemies weren’t the type to let him walk away.If they couldn’t find his body, it wouldn’t be long before they tracked him here.Once the poison in him wore off, he’d make sure everyone who’d betrayed him paid for it.By the time Arthur stepped outside, Selune was already waiting in the car.A sleek Rolls-Royce Phantom sat in the driveway, its ghostly-gray body gleaming in the fading sunlight.Through the tinted windows, the light caught Selune’s pale blonde hair, givin

“Leo, no!” Selune snapped, giving the lion a light smack. “He’s a guest. Back to your cage!”Leo let out a low growl, shooting Arthur one last murderous glare before turning and slinking off.After locking Leo up, Selune handed Arthur a glass of water.“Sorry about that,” she said, her tone softening just a little. “Leo’s not great with strangers. I don’t get many visitors.”"Sorry about that," she said. "Leo doesn’t really like strangers. I don’t get many visitors."Her icy demeanor cracked for a moment as she glanced back at the lion. “When I got him, he was so small he could fit in my hand. Now look at him.”Arthur followed her gaze to the massive golden lion, eyeing him cautiously.“Don’t get near to him.” Selune glanced warily at Arthur. "I know you’re strong, but against a full-grown lion? You’d be toast. Some guy broke in once—Leo ripped him apart. Let’s just say the cops had a lot of cleanup to do."There was no question that Leo was a powerful lion, standing nearly as tall as

Selune’s fists clenched at her sides, her knuckles white.“I have done nothing wrong. Why should I apologize?”She tried to play it cool, but her voice trembled with frustration.Ana’s face flushed with anger. “You… you ungrateful child!” She spluttered.“After all your father and I did to arrange this perfect marriage for you, this is how you repay us?! Talking back?! Refusing to get married?! What’s happened to you?!”Ana felt her entire world crumbling. The weight of her sacrifices was unbearable!As the daughter of a baron, Ana’d already lowered herself by marrying a commoner like Selune’s father.To make matters worse, her husband couldn’t even inherit his own family’s estate!Now, Selune’s engagement to Ken Wells was supposed to be their ticket out of disgrace—a chance to claw back some shred of the life Ana believed she deserved.She had dreamt of luxury, of wealth, of reclaiming her rightful place in society. But her complying daughter seemed determined to ruin everything.Ana