EVELYN

I already expected him to be harsh. Rude, even. But this?

Pathetic.

The design had already been approved, yet he spat on it like it was filth beneath his feet. Like my work, my effort wasn’t even worth a glance. The arrogance, the sheer audacity, burned through me, but what burned more was the truth in his words. Damn it. That was too much.

Still, watching Daniel stammer under his scrutiny had been satisfying. I should have enjoyed it more. But all I could hear, all I could replay in my head, was his voice.

"Disgusting. An insult to disgust."

I didn’t even realize I had moved until my heels clicked sharply against the marble floor. He was heading for the elevator. I followed. Just as the doors were about to slide shut, I slipped inside, pressing my hand against the cold steel frame.

His gaze flickered to me, bored, detached. “What do you want?”

The doors sealed, enclosing us in a space thick with tension.

I pressed the emergency stop button. The elevator lurched to a halt.

His head snapped toward me, irritation flashing across his chiseled features. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

My pulse thundered, but I straightened my shoulders, my fury sharpening my voice. “Disgusting? An insult to disgust?” My voice cracked a raw edge to it. “Do you even realize how much I put into that design?”

He scoffed, shaking his head like I was nothing more than an amusing little fool throwing a tantrum.

“You really are rude, do you know that?” I snapped.

He said nothing. Just stood there, watching me. His silence was worse than any insult. Worse than any crude remark. Because his gaze, cold and calculating, stripped me down to nothing.

Damn it. I hated tall men.

The way they loomed, exuding an imaginary dominance that made it hard to hold their stare.

Then, his lips curled slightly, his voice dropping into something unreadable. “Is that him?”

I blinked. “What?”

“The bastard who cheated on you.”

My stomach twisted.

“Who? You mean Daniel?”

He exhaled sharply, shaking his head. “Huh. So he cheated with that woman beside him. What was her name again? Serena?”

My breath caught. My entire body stiffened as I snapped my gaze to him.

“How the hell do you know that?”

He smirked. “They were obvious.” He took a slow step toward me. “I can’t believe you dated him all this time and didn’t see it. I bet everyone thinks she’s the real girlfriend.” His voice dipped, filled with something I couldn’t quite place. “So this is what people mean when they say blinded by love?”

Blinded by love?

Me?

I clenched my fists, my blood boiling. He had this infuriating way of speaking—spitting out words like they were nothing, like the weight of them didn’t matter.

But that wasn’t the point.

I lifted my chin, meeting his stare head-on. “Tell me,” I demanded, my voice strong, steady, “what about my design was trash?”

He said nothing at first. Then, his lips curved into something dark, something dangerous.

Before I could react, he stepped closer, and I instinctively moved back. Again. And again—until my back hit the cold elevator wall.

My breath hitched.

His hand slammed against the wall beside my head, caging me in.

It was like something out of a movie. Except there was nothing romantic about the way he looked at me—nothing warm in the way his presence suffocated the space between us.

“You call yourself a designer?” he asked, his voice low, sharp.

“Yes.”

“Then do entertain me,” he murmured, tilting his head slightly, his eyes gleaming with something almost cruel. “What’s the first rule when creating a design?”

I swallowed, my lips parting. “To design something that would fit—”

“Wrong.” He cut me off, his voice slicing through my words. “The first rule is to always have a clear picture of who you’re designing for.” His gaze bore into me, reading me in ways I didn’t want to be read. “A breakup.” He sneered. “Was that your inspiration?”

I opened my mouth to deny it, but he didn’t let me.

“Don’t lie to yourself. That’s what pisses me off.” He leaned in slightly, his voice like ice, like fire. “So tell me, Evelyn Ateya.”

A pause.

A deep inhale.

A single, charged moment where the only thing I could hear was my own pounding heartbeat.

“When you designed that necklace,” he murmured, “who did you have in mind?”

His question gutted me.

I sucked in a breath. My fingers twitched. My chest tightened.

He pressed. “Who?”

I swallowed hard, shame washing over me in slow, agonizing waves. “My mother,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.

A heartbeat of silence.

Then—he scoffed. “Your mother.” He nodded slowly. “I see.”

His gaze flickered with something unreadable before his jaw tightened.

“So the idea was your mother, but somehow, your thick head got so caught up in childhood promises and forgotten dreams that you destroyed my masterpiece—” he seethed, “—trying to impress some worthless bastard.” His eyes darkened. “My design.”

“Excuse me?” My spine straightened. “It’s my design.”

He chuckled, low and humorless. “Everything you create—” his fingers suddenly lifted, tracing my jaw, tilting my chin upward, “—everything you even think of creating is mine.”

I froze.

My breath shuddered.

“You belong to me now, Evelyn,” he murmured, his voice like a whispered command, like an unshakable truth. “So everything that involves you… is mine.”

I couldn’t move. Couldn’t even bring myself to shove him away.

“Get rid of those stupid memories,” he ordered, his grip firm, yet not unkind. “Rid yourself of childish love notes and broken promises. And show me what you’re actually capable of.”

I swallowed.

His thumb brushed against my cheek, featherlight.

“You’re a rare gem, Evelyn.” His voice softened, but the authority in it remained. “Beautiful. Talented. And any man who has you should be damn grateful.” His lips quirked slightly. “You want revenge? I don’t care how you do it. Use me all you want.”

He suddenly pulled a file from his coat pocket—my previous designs. My real work.

“I want her.” His gaze burned into mine. “The woman who made these.”

I sucked in a sharp breath, my fingers tightening against my sides.

“You’re my wife now.” His voice turned low, lethal. “For ten months. That’s all. But in those ten months, if you want to impress a man—” his lips brushed my ear as he whispered, “—I’m the only one you need to impress. Clear?”

The air crackled between us.

Then, just as suddenly, he pulled away.

I let out a breath I hadn’t even realized I was holding.

He pressed the tenth-floor button.

“And by the way,” he added as the elevator dinged open, “that guy—Daniel—he’s already in the running for the board.” His tone turned sharp, final. “He has a backer. I may be your husband, but don’t expect me to go easy on you.”

My stomach twisted.

He stepped out, walking away before pausing. “Oh—one more thing.” He glanced over his shoulder, his smirk sharp enough to cut.

“Frederick will pick you up at eight. Bring your contract.”

And just like that, he was gone.

Leaving me standing there, tongue-tied. Breathless. And completely overwhelmed.

***

“An insult to disgust!”

Grace and Genny shrieked in unison, nearly toppling over with laughter as I narrated the whole ridiculous event. Tears streamed down their faces, their shoulders shaking uncontrollably. I hadn’t gone back to the office after what happened—too much drama for one day. Instead, I escaped to the rooftop for some air, and, of course, these two found me.

"Shit! I knew the guy was a total night-cracker, but that’s on another level of trash!" Genny wheezed, still clutching her stomach.

"Yeah, totally, girl! I warned you!" Grace added, wiping at the corners of her eyes, still catching her breath.

"Ha! Ha! Very funny," I mimicked their exaggerated tones, leaning back against the metallic billboard mounted on the rooftop. I let out a deep sigh, my gaze drifting toward the sky.

"So, what about that loser?" Genny asked, still grinning.

A slow, wicked smirk curled on my lips. "You should’ve seen his stupid face when Kurtis asked him about his role!" I threw my head back, nearly laughing my lungs out. "He stammered like a malfunctioning robot! Damn, power is freakish!"

"Tell me about it!" Grace shouted, slapping her knee. "So what now?"

I let out a long, broken laugh before stretching my arms widely and pacing around.

"I've decided!" I finally declared, spinning back toward them. "I'm going to aim for the Executive seat!"

"What? The Executive?" They both gawked at me like I had just declared myself the next world dictator.

"The Executive group is made up of, like, seriously abnormal humans—beyond reason. Those guys are basically corporate legends. You’re joking, right?" Grace cried out, her eyes nearly popping.

"So what?" I shrugged. "My idea was the reason Daniel even became a candidate in the first place, wasn’t it?"

"Yeah, and he also has some damn good connections—don’t forget that!" Grace shot back.

"Come on!" Genny patted Grace’s shoulder lightly. "She has one too now. Have you forgotten that she's married to the boss of all those Executives?"

They both nodded, realization dawning on them.

"Actually, I’m not going to depend on Kurtis for this," I said firmly. "I’m going full-blown on my own."

"Are you for real?"

I inhaled deeply, as if trying to breathe in my own rebirth.

"To be honest," I admitted, "I just realized that up until now, everything I’ve done—every effort, every sacrifice—was for Daniel. Everything revolved around him. I spent years trying to impress him, but he never saw me the same way. Maybe he did once... maybe I was just stuck in the past. But it’s high time I become me again."

The two clapped as if I had just delivered the monologue of a lifetime.

"So, what’s the plan?"

I clasped my hands together, rubbing my lips with my thumb as I paced.

"First, I’ll continue playing the ignorant, doting girlfriend. I’ll help him get into the Executive group, just as planned. I’ll let him think he did it all on his own. Let him get comfortable. Let him believe he's about to leave me behind. And the moment he thinks he’s won—" I smirked darkly, my voice dropping a tone, "I take a seat right next to him."

A slow, dramatic pause.

"The look on his face will be priceless," I mused. "And that—that will be my greatest victory. I’ll crush them both. I’ll show them exactly who the hell they messed with!"

"All the way, girl! I love this plan!" Grace cheered, practically bouncing.

"But first," I added, straightening up with a thoughtful expression, "we have to come up with a design fitting for my cold husband."

We all burst into laughter, the sound echoing across the rooftop.

"Your ice-cold husband!" Genny added, grinning mischievously.

I smirked. "Ice-Cold Husband... I like the ring to that."