Chapter 1: She doesn’t want to marry you.
The small security control room was dimly lit, illuminated only by the bluish glow of multiple surveillance screens. Cameras displayed in every corner of the large mansion and its surrounding grounds. The soft humming of computers filled the silence.
Suddenly, a chair screeched across the floor.
“Blue ran away?!” Xavier Browning almost shouted as his eyes widened at the footage playing on the monitor.
The video clearly showed a slender girl in a pale dress slipping through the back gate before disappearing into the darkness of the road outside.
“Shut up, Xavier.”
A cold voice cut through the room.
Noah Murphy glared at him sharply, his deep brown eyes narrowing. His tall frame leaned against the desk as he folded his arms. Unlike Xavier's loud personality, Noah was calm and observant. His sharp jawline, slightly messy black hair, and steady gaze made him look composed even in tense situations.
But his eyes were not on Xavier.
They were fixed on the man standing silently in front of the monitor.
The man who was supposed to marry Blue tomorrow.
Xavier quickly shut his mouth and shifted awkwardly. His gaze followed Noah's.
They both looked at their friend.
Sky Lewis.
A strange chill suddenly spread through the room.
“Damn…” Xavier rubbed his arms dramatically. “Why do I suddenly feel so cold?”
Neither Noah nor Sky responded.
Sky stood still, staring at the screen where Blue had disappeared moments ago.
He was tall—taller than both of them—with broad shoulders and an imposing presence. His sharp facial features looked almost sculpted, as if carved from marble. Dark hair fell slightly over his forehead, and his cold brown eyes reflected the flickering light of the monitor.
Those eyes held something dangerous.
Possession.
Noah stepped closer to him. He had known Sky since they were children. He could recognize that silent storm building inside him.
“Sky,” Noah said quietly. As if even the slightest sound could shatter something already hanging by a thread.
He placed a firm hand on Sky's shoulder.
“What do you want to do now?”
The gesture was simple, but the meaning behind it was clear.
No matter what you decide, I’m with you.
Xavier, who had finally recovered from the freezing tension, grinned and showed all his teeth.
“Yeah, bro! Just say the word,” he said enthusiastically. “We'll make it happen.”
Sky didn't answer immediately.
For a moment, the room was silent except for the low buzzing of the computers.
Then he spoke.
“I want her beside me.”
His voice was calm, but the intensity inside it was unmistakable.
“Forever.”
Those words were not a request.
They were a decision.
Xavier immediately slapped the desk and jumped up.
“Well then, what are we waiting for?!” he said excitedly.
He hurried out of the room before anyone could say another word.
Noah shook his head with a helpless sigh at Xavier's childish behavior.
Then he turned back to Sky.
“You really want to marry her?” Noah asked, his voice steady—serious in a way that left no room for evasion.
Sky didn’t answer.
Silence settled between them.
Noah’s eyes lingered on him, studying every detail—every flicker that might betray what lay beneath that calm exterior. He had known him too long to be fooled by stillness.
Because the truth was—
It seemed… she didn’t want this.
Didn’t want him.
“…It seems she doesn’t want to marry you,” Noah finally said, voicing the concern he had been holding back for far too long.
The words hung heavy in the air.
But Sky’s expression didn’t change.
Not even a little.
“I don’t care,” he said calmly.
“As long as she stays beside me.”
Then he turned and walked out of the room.
Noah watched his best friend's back disappear through the door.
A faint worry appeared in his eyes.
“I hope you chose the right person…”
He sighed softly before following him out.
