Chapter 01: The Debt of a Life
Althea's Point ov View
The scent of polished mahogany, expensive cologne, and heavy Chinese tea filled the expansive private parlor of the Zhao estate. Outside the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, the skyline of the city glistened in the late afternoon heat, but inside, the air was suffocatingly cold.
I sat near the edge of a plush velvet sofa, my back rigid, my fingers tightly gripping the edge of my plain cotton skirt. Across from me sat three men who looked like they had stepped out of a high-fashion magazine—and one elderly man whose sharp, discerning eyes held enough power to bend empires.
Mr. Zhao, the patriarch of the world-renowned Zhao Group, leaned back in his carved wooden armchair, resting both hands on a silver-headed cane. His face bore the lines of age, but his presence was formidable.
"Drink your tea, Althea," Mr. Zhao said softly, his voice carrying the authority of a man unused to being disobeyed. "You look tense."
"I am tense, Mr. Zhao," I said, keeping my tone respectful but firm. "I was told I was coming here for a simple follow-up regarding your medical checkup. I didn't expect... this."
Three weeks ago, I was just Althea Sanchez—a twenty-four-year-old Filipina teacher living overseas. I had worked myself to the bone, overcoming years of poverty back home to secure a high-paying faculty position at a prestigious international academy. I had a clear path, big dreams, and a modest life I built with my own hands.
Then came the rainy Tuesday evening when I saw an elderly man collapse on the sidewalk near the academy. While others panicked or walked past, assuming he was just an ordinary passerby, I rushed over, performed CPR, and kept him stable until the paramedics arrived.
I didn't know he was one of the wealthiest Chinese business tycoons on the planet.
And I certainly didn't know saving his life would cost me my own.
"A Zhao does not leave a life debt unpaid," Mr. Zhao declared, setting his teacup down with a light clink. "You saved my life, child. In return, I am offering you an untouchable standing in our family, a fortune of your own, and full backing to establish any business endeavor you desire. But to receive this protection, you must become part of our bloodline."
"I don't need a fortune, sir," I replied, forcing my voice not to shake. "I just want to go back to my work. My students—"
"Your resignation at the academy was accepted this morning," Mr. Zhao interrupted calmly.
My heart plummeted into my stomach. "You... what?"
"I bought the board of directors hours ago," he continued without a hint of remorse. "You will not have peace out there, Althea. My rivals already know who saved me. Outside these doors, you are a target. Inside, under my order, you are untouchable. So choose."
My breath hitched in my throat. They had backed me into a corner. I was trapped in a gilded cage, forced to play by the rules of a dynasty I didn't belong to.
"Choose a husband from among my sons," Mr. Zhao said, gesturing toward the three men sitting across the room.
I turned my gaze to them.
On the far right sat the youngest brother, Zhao Kai. He lounged casually, scrolling through his phone with a bored smirk. He was notoriously handsome, impeccably dressed, and notoriously ruthless with women.
"Don't look at me like that, sweetheart," Kai drawled, flicking his eyes up with a playful wink. "I already have two wives competing for my attention at home. But if you don't mind sharing, I can always make room for a third."
A third wife. I almost laughed in his face. I’m Filipina. We don't do polygamy, and I would rather rot than be an addition to a playboy's collection.
My eyes shifted to the middle brother, Zhao Jin. He looked far more gentle, wearing a warm smile as he inclined his head toward me.
"Ignore Kai," Jin said, his voice smooth and comforting. "If you choose me, Althea, you will be treated with absolute respect. My five wives live in complete harmony and luxury. I treat them all fairly."
Five wives. My eyebrow twitched. He seemed kind, yes, but being part of a harem—no matter how luxurious—was an indignity I refused to settle for. I wasn't going to be anyone's side dish.
That left one option.
Sitting at the far end of the long table, completely detached from the conversation, was the eldest son.
Zhao Xian.
He hadn't looked at me once since I entered the room. Dressed in a tailored black suit, his posture was immaculate, his features carved like cold marble. His dark eyes were fixed on the documents in front of him, totally indifferent to the drama unfolding around him.
The rumors about Zhao Xian were terrifying. He was the heir apparent—ruthless in business, icy to the point of cruelty, and utterly devoid of romantic interest in anyone. People said he viewed everyone around him as chess pieces or servants. No woman had ever dared to approach him, let alone imagine being his wife. He was completely, dangerously isolated.
And he was single.
A sudden, sharp realization hit me.
If Zhao Xian hated people, he would hate having a wife. If he was as cold and indifferent as everyone claimed, he wouldn't bother me. He wouldn't expect affection, he wouldn't demand a real marriage, and he certainly wouldn't expect me to fit into his life. He would ignore me.
In a house full of gilded traps, his cold indifference was the only path to my freedom.
I bit my lower lip, swallowed the lump in my throat, and raised my hand.
I pointed my finger directly at the man who hadn't even bothered to look up.
"I'm choosing him."
Silence slammed into the room like a heavy curtain.
Kai stopped scrolling his phone. Jin’s warm smile froze.
For the first time, Zhao Xian’s dark, sharp eyes slowly drifted up from his documents, locking directly onto mine. The intensity in his gaze was cold enough to freeze blood, but I held his look, refusing to back down.
Old Mr. Zhao blinked, staring at me in total disbelief. "My eldest?"
"Will you give him to me?" I challenged, tilting my chin up. "You said I could choose."
For three agonizing seconds, no one moved. Then, old Mr. Zhao broke the quiet with a booming, delighted laugh that echoed off the mahogany walls.
"Well... I certainly didn't expect you to choose Zhao Xian," the old man chuckled, shaking his head in absolute thrill. He looked at his eldest son, whose expression hadn't shifted by an inch, then back to me. "But a deal is a deal. You can have all of him."
Mr. Zhao leaned forward, his eyes twinkling with a mix of amusement and warning. "I only hope you won't regret this, sweetheart."
"I won't," I said smoothly, forcing a confident smile to my lips.
Across the room, Zhao Xian quietly closed his leather binder. He stood up, towering over the table, his presence suffocating the entire room. He didn't say a word as he adjusted his cuffs, gave me one final, unreadable glance, and walked out of the parlor without a sound.
Perfect, I thought to myself, letting out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. He already hates my existence. He'll leave me entirely alone.
I thought I had outsmarted the Zhao family. I thought I had secured a quiet, untouchable life where I could build my business in peace behind his cold barrier.
I had no idea what lived behind those steel walls.
