Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The First Night

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Her heart was pounding violently.

A twenty-one-year-old young woman named Elena Ruby Edna had round, light-blue eyes like the clear coastal sea—so beautiful and captivating.

Her petite face, her delicate nose, her perfectly balanced features, her lips like sweet yet tempting cherries, and her fair skin that looked so smooth that even the slightest pressure might turn it red.

She was wearing the most beautiful wedding gown. Her long, wavy light-brown hair shimmered like gold. Elena looked like the most beautiful princess in existence.

From time to time, she glanced to her right, where Alexander Kingston sat—the handsome and dignified man she had just married.

Alexander Kingston was twenty-eight years old, the most powerful businessman with noble blood running through his veins. His eyes were blue like Elena’s, but his gaze was far sharper and colder. With a firm jawline, a high-bridged nose, and standing at 193 centimeters tall, Alexander was known as the most desirable man because of his striking looks.

He sat upright, his expression straight and cold, not once glancing at his radiant bride beside him.

Only Elena looked at him sweetly, occasionally smiling as she admired her husband’s handsome face.

“Sir, we’ve arrived.”

Alexander’s personal driver had brought their wedding car to his enormous mansion, where he lived alone, accompanied only by servants who maintained the estate.

“Hm.”

Alexander looked extremely displeased. His eyes were sharp and cold as he stepped out of the car, leaving his bride behind.

Elena blinked several times, feeling nervous. She knew this marriage was not like most beautiful weddings, but she had not expected Alexander to be this cold toward her.

Without thinking further, Elena stepped out and followed him, watching his broad back.

It was clear Alexander wanted to reach his room quickly and leave Elena behind.

“Welcome home, Mr. Kingston.”

The head housekeeper bowed respectfully, along with dozens of uniformed servants who bowed in unison, welcoming Alexander as if he were a king.

Alexander walked past them without care. Today’s wedding had already irritated him enough.

Elena dragged her wedding gown and continued following Alexander into a room.

“So you’ve finally arrived! Making me wait for five minutes! Truly a useless woman!”

Cruel words in a cold tone greeted Elena as she entered what appeared to be Alexander’s study.

“Sir, you walked too fast. I tried to catch up, but your steps were too quick, so—”

Elena tried to explain why she had arrived later than him, but before she could finish—

Alexander, who stood before the glass wall overlooking the garden and small forest surrounding his mansion, turned his head.

He inhaled from the cigarette in his hand. The look in his eyes was terrifying.

Elena flinched and immediately closed her mouth. She no longer had the courage to continue speaking.

“Tch.”

“You dare to talk back to me? How shameless for a cheap woman like you!”

“Sit down and read the letter on the table. Sign it and get out of my room!”

Cruel words once again left Alexander’s mouth—the mouth of a handsome man known for his cold and cutting demeanor.

Elena clenched her hands, suppressing her anger and sorrow. She rubbed her still-flat stomach and lowered her gaze to the floor.

Slowly and steadily, she walked toward the sofa in the middle of the room and sat facing Alexander, who stared at her sharply.

Then, like lightning striking in broad daylight, Elena was shocked by the document she was reading.

Her small hands immediately put it down. She looked straight at Alexander and, with a trembling voice as if holding back tears, asked,

“What does this mean, Mr. Kingston? Giving me divorce papers on our wedding day?”

“You want to divorce me when the child in my womb is born?”

“Have you lost your mind, Mr. Kingston?”

Elena spoke firmly. Her beautiful blue eyes looked stunning as golden sunlight shone through the large glass wall.

Her breathing was heavy. Her fists clenched tightly as she held back both sadness and anger.

“You still don’t understand, woman!”

Alexander extinguished his cigarette and stepped forward slowly, as if he might crush her with his own hands.

Elena stood her ground. Her eyes followed him until she had to tilt her head upward because he was now standing before her.

She could clearly see that cruel smile—the cold expression that would become her nightmare.

Thud!

Alexander pushed Elena roughly until she fell onto the edge of the sofa. He pressed his body down and grabbed her wrists so she could not move.

“Do I have to remind you again? A month ago, you came to my house and sneaked into my room while I was drunk! That night was the most regrettable night of my life!”

“If you hadn’t come, you wouldn’t be carrying my child! And I wouldn’t have been forced to marry you!”

“You’re so cheap that I feel sick just looking at your face! So sign that agreement while I’m still speaking nicely, woman!”

“Or…”

Alexander smirked, clearly enjoying the sight of Elena’s sad and wounded face beneath him.

His eyes drifted toward her chest, toward her body wrapped in the wedding gown beneath him.

“Are you so cheap that you want to stay by my side? If that’s what you want, I can finish you all night long—make you the cheap woman in my bed, just like you were a month ago.”

“You want that, don’t you? Is that why you refuse to sign the divorce papers?”

Alexander whispered softly, his sharp blue eyes observing the changes in Elena’s expression.

Her bright smile and flushed cheeks had disappeared. What remained were round eyes filled with disappointment and unshed tears.

“Enough, Mr. Kingston! That’s enough!”

“I’ve explained countless times what happened a month ago. You’re the one who refuses to believe me!”

“No matter what you say today, I will not sign those divorce papers!”

“The child in my womb is innocent. He deserves complete parents!”

Elena answered against Alexander’s expectations. Even after all his threats, she still stood by her decision.

Alexander was furious. He felt Elena was the most shameless woman he had ever met.

His jaw tightened visibly. His eyes burned like flames as night fell—tonight, their first night.

He studied her face—so beautiful, too beautiful—yet not the one he wanted.

“So cheap.”

Alexander grabbed the back of Elena’s hair, causing pain. He pulled her head up until their faces were inches apart.

He continued whispering,

“So beautiful.”

“So fragile.”

“There’s nothing about you that I like. I don’t want you.”

“But…”

Roughly, he tore her wedding gown. The fabric ripped easily under his strength.

“Ahh—”

Elena gasped in shock. The torn fabric scraped her skin, turning it red. Reflexively, she covered her exposed chest after Alexander ripped her gown mercilessly.

“Huh?”

Alexander let out a low chuckle, mocking her seemingly pure reaction.

“You act shocked? You’re the cheap woman who came into my room a month ago and trapped me so you could marry me!”

“So inconsistent. You should continue being a cheap woman in front of me. Who knows? If your service pleases me, maybe I’ll keep you as my toy. Wouldn’t that be interesting, woman?”

He tilted his head, watching Elena’s lifeless gaze.

Tears finally fell, unable to be held back any longer. Alexander Kingston’s words were unbearably cruel. Since earlier, he had never called her by name—only “cheap woman” or “woman.”

Her beautiful lips fell silent. Her gaze was too sorrowful.

For some reason, Alexander could see it—the depth of pain in the eyes of the woman he hated.

“My name is Elena, Sir. Not woman or cheap woman…”

“I know you won’t listen to my explanation again, but that night I—”

She tried once more to explain what truly happened a month ago—why they ended up spending one night together and why she became pregnant.

But Alexander roughly covered her mouth.

“Shut up, woman! I don’t want to hear it again! I don’t care how you got into my room. What I care about is that you ruined my life because I had to marry you!”

“You want to remember what happened that night?”

“In that case…”

With clenched teeth and a terrifying expression, Alexander tore away the remaining pieces of her gown.

Her skin reddened in several places, but Alexander did not care at all.

“Hah… Hah…”

His breathing grew heavy. His immense anger at seeing her sadness only fueled his rage.

In his mind, Elena had no right to feel sad—she was the cause of all this.

His sharp blue eyes roamed every inch of his wife’s body as she tried to cover herself with her small hands.

Her beautiful body glowed under the bright moonlight filtering through the glass wall.

“You wanted this, woman!”

“I’ll show you how it’s really done!”

Without mercy, Alexander seized her wrists again and lowered himself against her body.

“Mmm…”

Elena felt real pain as Alexander humiliated her, tearing her gown and gripping her tightly.

His lips bit into her neck, leaving a slight sting and redness.

“Ah…”

The small, restrained sound that escaped her was filled with sorrow.

A first night that should have been beautiful became filled with tears—happening in the study instead of the bedroom.

Elena’s blue eyes stared blankly at the grand ceiling. Her cries and words were ignored, and her heart felt shattered.

She could have run away. She could have canceled this marriage. But if she had chosen that, her life would have been even more painful.

Only by marrying Alexander Kingston could she breathe, even just a little.

Though she realized—Alexander himself might be the source of her suffering.

“Why are you so quiet? Are you enjoying it?”

Alexander lifted his head, placing his hand on her soft thigh and pressing firmly.

At the same time, Elena looked at him with deep sorrow.

“If I refuse, if I say I’m in pain, would you listen?”

“Would you stop?”

Her lips trembled into a bitter smile as she looked deeply into her husband’s eyes.

Alexander’s gaze sharpened. His breathing grew heavier and hotter.

“Of course not! You’re the one who refuses to obey me. I’ll make you regret it, and I’ll make sure your tears flow down your cheeks forever!”

“The only way I’ll stop is if you agree to divorce me!”

He whispered again, repeating the same thing—showing he did not want any relationship with her.

Alexander paused briefly, thinking his threat would finally work.

But somehow, Elena endured.

She cried silently, wanting to scream and run—but she could not.

If she did, her life would end.

“Tch!”

“Cheap woman!”

Alexander growled again. This time, he did not stop.

He was brutal and rough, making Elena endure the pain in silence as she covered her mouth to avoid screaming.

The sofa beneath them was in complete disarray.

Breathing raggedly, her body covered in red marks, Elena clutched the torn remnants of her gown to cover herself.

She stared blankly at the ceiling once more.

Alexander, having finished, stood and pulled up his trousers.

He grabbed his cigarette and stood before the glass wall, staring outside.

“Get out! Don’t let me see you unless I call for you!”

His cold command filled the room. He refused to look at Elena, who was in pain because of him.

Silently, Elena sat on the disheveled sofa, adjusting her torn gown with trembling hands to hide her body.

With an empty gaze, she stood on shaking legs and slowly left her husband’s study.

“Heh. So obedient.”

Alexander muttered softly as she staggered out.

His sharp blue eyes returned to the outside view.

Whatever was on his mind, he was certain of one thing—

Elena’s presence was one of the tools his half-brother was using to trap and destroy him.

Yes, Alexander Kingston had a half-brother. His father had a second wife—once a mistress—officially acknowledged a few years ago. That woman had a son the same age as Alexander, only two months older.

With his half-brother’s recognition came a power struggle. Robert Kingston declared that whichever son could develop his business division better would inherit the Kingston empire.

That was why Alexander was extremely cautious—and fully convinced Elena was a secret weapon used to bring him down.

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While Alexander contemplated the worst possibilities, Elena stood outside the door with empty eyes.

She lowered her gaze to her reddened hands, noticing red marks on her legs that stung when touched.

“Endure it, Elen. Just endure a little longer.”

“Living like this is better than living like before.”

“Even if it always hurts, even if it always feels tight in your chest, it’s fine as long as you endure.”

She murmured softly before taking slow steps forward.

At that moment, the head housekeeper stood nearby and called out to her.

“Miss Elena, follow me.”

“Mr. Kingston has prepared a room for you.”

Dorothy said.

Elena quickly wiped her tears and followed Dorothy to the room that had been prepared for her.

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