Claimed by the CEO: From Substitute Bride to Beloved Wife

Half-conscious, Nerys felt a heavy weight pressing down on her, suffocating her until she could hardly breathe. Her body burned with unnatural heat, as if boiling water surged through her veins. Forcing her eyes open, she found herself in darkness. A blurred figure loomed above her, hands roaming, leaving her no escape. A sharp cry slipped from her lips. The haze in her mind cleared for a brief second, and her teary eyes widened in alarm. “You… who are you?” Her protest was cut short when her soft lips were bitten, a punishing reminder of her distraction. “I’m your husband,” a deep voice growled, the words striking her heart like a hammer. Husband? Before she could comprehend, pain seared through her body. “Ah—” The drug had taken full control, pulling her helplessly into Nolan’s grasp. ⸻ By the time dawn crept through the curtains, Nerys stirred awake. Every inch of her ached. Where was she? She rubbed her throbbing temples and blinked at the unfamiliar room—lavish decorations, garlands of roses, pastel balloons, everything arranged with delicate precision. Her stomach dropped. Turning her head, she froze at the sight of the man lying bare beside her. A piercing scream broke from her throat. The sound dragged Nolan from his sleep. With one swift motion, he rolled over, pinning her beneath him, his hand clamping over her mouth. “Be quiet,” he ordered, his low voice edged with irritation. “Mmph—!” Nerys’s eyes widened in terror. Who was this man? Why was she with him? She remembered rushing to the hospital after Eirlys called to say Grandma Hill’s condition had worsened. But the moment she entered the ward, something struck her, and darkness swallowed her whole. What happened after that, she had no idea. Now she was here—on the same bed with a stranger. Nolan studied her trembling lashes, her watery eyes brimming with fear and fragility. His fingers pinched her delicate chin, eyes narrowing dangerously. “Don’t play innocent. Last night was our wedding night, and you were quite… enthusiastic.” He had been bedridden for a year, only just recovering. Grandma Hill wasted no time arranging a marriage, insisting it was for his own good, to secure an heir for the Hill Family. He had refused. But she acted behind his back, going so far as to have their marriage registered without his consent. Last night was supposed to be the day he ended it. Instead, he returned to find incense filling his room, laced with an aphrodisiac. And on his bed—Nerys, flushed and writhing, clothes already slipping off her skin. He had tried to resist, but the door had been locked from the outside. With the drug coursing through him, resistance became impossible. Everything spiraled beyond control. ⸻ Wedding night? The words hit Nerys like a thunderclap. Married? Impossible. She didn’t even have a boyfriend. Surely, he was mistaken! She tried to explain, but his palm smothered her mouth. Feeling her struggle, Nolan’s fingers brushed over her swollen lips, voice dark and commanding. “Don’t move. Stay quiet. When I’m done, we’ll settle this properly.” The faint graze sent an electric shiver racing through her body. Fear clouded her vision with tears, her fragile beauty stirring dangerous thoughts in him. Nolan frowned, released her, and strode into the bathroom. Nerys scrambled up, clutching the blanket around herself. The moment the door shut, her nose stung, tears spilling uncontrollably. Her body ached. Her clothes lay in tatters across the floor. The truth was undeniable. She had lost everything. Her purity, guarded for twenty years, stolen by a man she didn’t even know. And he dared to call himself her husband? He had to be insane. She had to get out. Throwing on one of Nolan’s shirts, large enough to cover her knees, she bolted for the door. But the moment she stepped out, she collided with someone. Flustered, she bowed her head. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean—” Una, the Hill family’s long-time housekeeper, blocked her path with a sharp look. She had been stationed outside the entire night, guarding the room under Grandma Hill’s orders. Her eyes narrowed on Nerys’s disheveled hair and bare legs. “Mrs Nerys, where do you think you’re going in such a rush?” “I—I’m not your Mrs Nerys! You’ve mistaken me for someone else,” Nerys stammered, trying to push past. But Una’s grip clamped around her arm like iron. “Not our Mrs Nerys? You spent the wedding night with Mr Nolan. What else would you be?” Nerys’s face flamed scarlet. “T-that was a mistake! I don’t even know how it happened—” Una’s tone was firm, leaving no room for denial. “Mistake or not, you and Mr Nolan are husband and wife now. Go back to the room. You can’t be wandering about half-dressed.” “No! I want to go home!” She needed answers. Eirlys had been the one to call her to the hospital, and now this nightmare… it couldn’t be a coincidence. Whatever had happened, she knew Eirlys was involved. And that man—cold, terrifying—she refused to stay with him another second. “You’re not leaving,” Una said sharply, blocking her path. They wrestled briefly, their struggle echoing through the hall. Then— A deep, displeased voice cut through the air. “What’s going on?” Nerys turned instinctively. And froze. Fresh from the shower, Nolan’s damp hair slicked back, droplets sliding down sharp, sculpted features. His face was breathtakingly handsome, too flawless to belong to reality—like a figure carved by the gods themselves. He was dressed now, in a black shirt and trousers, tall frame radiating an aura of icy dominance. Una bowed slightly. “Mr Nolan, Mrs Nerys was trying to run. I stopped her.” “Run?” Nolan’s gaze sharpened, obsidian eyes slicing into Nerys like blades. His lips curved in a dangerous line. “I told you to stay put. And yet here you are—trying to escape?”