"Your father may have forced this marriage," he said coldly, loosening his tie. "But don't mistake a ring for affection. You'll never be my wife in any way that matters." I looked up from my laptop and smiled. The kind of smile that made powerful men nervous. "That's funny." His eyes narrowed. "What is?" "You still think this is a battle you're going to win." A muscle ticked in his jaw. "I'm in love with someone else." "I know." "I don't want you." "I know that too." "Then why are you smiling?" I stood, walked toward him, and adjusted the stethoscope hanging around his neck. Because I had noticed something he hadn't. The way his breathing changed whenever I got too close. The way his eyes lingered a second too long. The way he looked at me when he thought I wasn't watching. "Because, husband..." I whispered. "You keep saying no with your mouth while everything else says yes." He should have walked away. Instead, he stood perfectly still. A billionaire heiress who never believed in love. A renowned neurosurgeon determined to keep his heart reserved for another woman. Their marriage was supposed to be temporary. A simple arrangement. A promise to their fathers. Until stolen glances turned dangerous. Until jealousy became impossible to ignore. Until the line between hatred and desire became too blurred to resist. He swore he would never want her. She never asked for permission. And once she decides something belongs to her... She doesn't let go.

"Did he touch you?" Aaron asked, his deep, growling tone making her shiver. "It doesn't matter. You can't question—" "Did. He. Fucking. Touch. You?" He asked, his voice more dangerous now, making her feel the full impact of his rising anger. "He is my husband. How can I stop him?" she asked hesitantly, knowing she was inviting the devil himself to spill blood. In a flash, he pulled her by the waist and pinned her against the wall with force. She gasped, startled by his sudden movement. Her wide eyes met his fiery, unforgiving gaze. "Listen to me very carefully, mia cara," he said, his voice a lethal whisper. "The day I tasted every inch of you, you became mine and only mine alone. You were never anyone’s wife or daughter-in-law. If you were connected to anyone, it was only me. So watch your words next time, because a single slip of your tongue might cost someone their life. Am I clear?" Before she could respond, he crushed his lips against hers in a wild, punishing kiss. ••• Alina’s world shattered when her husband ordered her to spend a night with his unknown client in exchange for a billion-dollar deal. But when she arrived at the hotel, a simple mistake led her to knock on the wrong door. Inside, she found Aaron Knight. the most powerful and ruthless billionaire of the era. The Elder heir of the Knight clan. The elder brother of her husband. That night, she unknowingly stepped into his room… and into his world. Aaron, a man who had never been possessed by a woman’s charms, claimed her with a possessiveness that stole her breath away. Now, she is trapped in his grasp, and Aaron makes one thing clear: "You were mine the moment you stepped into my bed… and I’ll burn the world before I let you go."