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Chapter 1 …
“What are you going to do with me now?”
Her exhausted body leaned helplessly against the ropes. Her lifeless voice, as if she hadn’t eaten for days, filled the room.
“That depends on what you decide to do.”
The man’s slender fingers slowly scratched the dusty desk. The unpleasant noise echoed in her ears.
He approached her unhurriedly and grabbed her delicate chin.
“My lovely Elena, my bride.”
“Get your hands off me.”
The woman snapped her head to the side in disgust, shaking off his touch.
He let out a small laugh, bent his knees, and sat down in front of her, gazing at her as though she were something precious.
His red eyes gleamed brilliantly under the moonlight. Was he human, or a devil? His pale, smiling face was beautiful.
If someone asked what shone brighter than anything else, it might just be him.
His lips touched hers, moist and gentle. Something hot slipped between her parted lips and devoured her whole.
Once again, she pathetically fell for this irresistible demon’s charm.
“I love you, Elena.”
She had been kidnapped.
By the very beautiful man standing before her.
“Good morning, Elena.”
A man with jet-black hair like the night sky and crimson eyes that glowed like rubies.
He was about two handspans taller than her, with broad shoulders and a deep, low voice.
A man who surely made many women cry—but to her, he was a complete stranger.
And from her observations so far, he was clearly a psychopath.
“Did you sleep well?”
There were many reasons he wasn’t normal.
First, he talked nonsense.
“I wanted to sleep beside you too, what a shame.”
Second, he lacked empathy and understanding.
“Your tied-up arms don’t hurt, do they?”
Third, he treated people like animals.
“You’re still too wild, you see.”
In short—
“You crazy bastard…”
In her thirty years of life—past and present—she had never met someone like him.
He tied her up and stared at her as if she were adorable. He patted her like she was some cute puppy.
And yet, he didn’t exactly treat her well either.
She hadn’t been given a single meal in the two days she’d been here.
It seemed like he intended to starve her to death.
“Even in a kidnapping, isn’t it basic decency to at least give your captive food?”
She hadn’t eaten this little even during diets.
Her already thin body felt like it was shrinking even more.
“I have no choice if I want to keep you quiet.”
His serious tone left her speechless.
Did he not know that people die if they don’t eat?
Did this man even have common sense?
“Untie me right now.”
“Not yet, Elena.”
His upturned lips curved into a crescent-moon smile.
Locking his crimson eyes on hers, he spoke clearly.
“You’ll run away.”
His innocent tone sent chills down her spine.
His mouth was smiling, but the meaning beneath his words was not.
It was a silent warning: escape was impossible.
“Do you know how long I searched for you?”
“Sorry, but I have no idea who you are.”
She wracked her brain, but there wasn’t a single connection she could think of.
Then why was he acting like he knew her so well? It made her chest tighten with unease.
“How could you not notice when I was so close to you?”
He slowly ran his hand through her hair.
His gentle gaze gave her an odd sense of déjà vu.
“Let go of me.”
She glared at him with the fiercest look she could muster.
But to him, it was no more than a child’s tantrum.
“Even that angry face is cute.”
He ruffled the top of her head so thoroughly it almost felt like her scalp would wear down.
No wonder she felt like a well-trained puppy.
If she suddenly burst out in anger, he’d have no right to be surprised.
“I said let go while I’m still asking nicely.”
She meant it.
If her hands were free, she would’ve beaten him black and blue.
As she lowered her voice and hardened her expression, he leaned in like he was watching something amusing.
“And what will you do?”
Tilting his head, he sneered.
His face smiled, but his tone was laced with mockery.
“Will you scream?”
“…”
“Or try to escape?”
Like a sly fox, he swayed slightly and smiled faintly.
The condescension in his tone made her blood boil.
“Well? Say something.”
He was clearly insane.
Laughing like he had the upper hand in this situation.
But there was one thing he didn’t know—
She was just as crazy.
Spit.
“Eat shit.”
She smirked as she spat on his face.
The smile on his face slowly froze.
Serves him right.
“You’re still as naughty as ever.”
He gently wiped the saliva from his cheek with the back of his hand.
Just like a model in a cosmetics ad.
“How lovely.”
An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth.
If he acted like a bastard, she’d return the favor.
“I thought I knew everything about you.”
He lifted his hand and softly caressed her cheek.
“But I didn’t think you’d be so rude.”
For a moment, she froze like a scarecrow.
…Did he just say she was the rude one?
“…Rude?”
“Yes, Elena. You shouldn’t spit on your husband’s face.”
Her brain momentarily shut down.
She carefully reviewed what he just said.
Husband. As in, the male spouse in a marriage.
“What?”
She frowned deeply.
His words made no sense.
“Husband, Elena. Because you and I are going to get married.”
She stared at him for a long while.
It felt as if the air in the dark room had stopped moving.
Did he just say marriage?
“…What?”
“Marriage. Yours and mine.”
“…Ha.”
They say when something is too absurd, you can only laugh.
And right now, she was laughing because she was utterly dumbfounded.
“I didn’t think you’d be this happy.”
“Have you taken drugs? Or are you drunk? Or maybe you really are insane?”
Fueled by rage, she rattled off her words like a machine gun.
But he didn’t flinch and calmly replied,
“Yes. For you.”
Judging by how easily the words came out, he was dead serious.
Thoughts raced through her mind.
Ah. She was screwed.
This man was serious.
“Let me ask just one thing.”
She closed her eyes and tried to steady her heart.
“If that’s what you want, ask anything.”
“Why exactly did you bring me here?”
Without a moment’s hesitation, he answered,
“Because you’re my bride.”
“…Ha.”
She had promised herself never to lose her composure in any situation.
That promise shattered today.
Emotions she couldn’t name surged within her.
“So you bought me… to marry me? You paid that money for that?”
“Yes.”
What the hell?
A week ago, she had been wandering around the Empire when she was forcibly captured by foreign slave traders at the harbor.
She fought back, got beaten senseless, and ended up on a cargo ship meant for animals. As she lay there, drained of all will, this psychopath attacked the ship.
She was dragged to a slave auction and appraised at a high price.
The auctioneers were intrigued by her rare pink hair, and her price skyrocketed.
Then this man appeared.
He bought her for ten million luna, stunning everyone present.
Thanks to that, she was still alive—but she had no intention of being kidnapped again.
“Just what the hell are you?”
Ten million luna was more than enough to buy a mansion with ten buildings attached.
For someone to casually spend that amount in a day, he had to be ridiculously wealthy.
“Looks like you’re finally curious about me.”
He curled one corner of his mouth and met her eyes.
Then he stepped away, his shoes clicking as he circled around her chair.
“I’m dying to know what kind of person could pull something this crazy in the Ardeo Duchy.”
Judging by his attire, he was likely the young master of some powerful house.
Probably the spoiled youngest son of a noble family.
“I didn’t know you were so interested in me.”
He bent down to meet her gaze, a mischievous grin playing on his face.
“What an honor.”
His calm, confident demeanor only fueled her stubbornness.
She swore to escape and hand him over to the Public Security Bureau.
“Yeah, enjoy yourself while you can.”
She smiled faintly and glared at him.
“What, are you planning to hand me over to the authorities?”
Her heart skipped, but she blinked as if unaffected.
He smirked knowingly.
“That’s impossible.”
“You must not know this, but in the Ardeo Duchy, anyone who breaks the law—”
“Ha…”
He sighed shortly, then grinned widely like a clown.
And then burst into loud, hearty laughter.
“…”
“Go on. Keep talking.”
He tilted his head mockingly, clearly not taking her seriously. His attitude was so infuriating that she didn’t even want to speak anymore.
“…”
“You’ll never succeed.”
His confident gaze bored into her.
But she wasn’t the type to back down.
She clenched her teeth and glared back.
“His Grace, Grand Duke Sculus, won’t leave you alone.”
Decarus de Sculus.
A member of the imperial family and the ruler of the Ardeo Duchy, renowned throughout the Empire.
He was the perfect man—famous for his character, intellect, and martial skill.
He was so beautiful that women across the nation had fan clubs for him.
As a philanthropist, he handed out bread and milk to orphans in the streets—every citizen knew of his good deeds.
Surely, a man like him would punish this criminal.
“Heh…”
The man laughed incredulously, tilting his head.
“Do you really think he would?”
“Yes! He protects his people—”
“Where did you even hear that nonsense…”
He sighed lowly and shook his head several times.
After crossing his arms and falling briefly into thought, he looked at her and spoke softly.
“What if that’s me?”
For a moment, time seemed to stop.
The steady clicking of his shoes echoed like a metronome.
“…What?”
“What if I’m that noble Grand Duke you speak of?”
What the hell was he saying?
Conversations were supposed to fit together like puzzle pieces.
This one was broken beyond repair.
“That’s impossible.”
“Want to bet?”
“Ha! Sure. Let’s bet.”
There was no way the revered Grand Duke, praised by all citizens, was this lunatic.
He was widely celebrated as a virtuous ruler.
“Sounds like you’re confident.”
“Of course. If you’re telling the truth, I’ll personally officiate that damned wedding.”
He lowered his gaze and whispered softly.
“Marriage… marriage, huh…”
His languid eyes glimmered with a devilish sweetness.
Resting his chin on her knee, he tilted his head slightly.
“You’ll regret saying that.”
