Chapter One

Jasmine’s POV

“Jasmine! Jas, open the damn door!” Adonis shouted from the hallway, pounding his fist against the wood.

I waited a few seconds, staring at the door before I finally unlocked it. The moment I opened it, I turned away and walked back to the bed without saying a word. I sat on the edge and pulled my robe tighter around myself, arms crossed over my chest.

Adonis stepped inside, breathing heavily. “Didn’t you hear me banging on the door?”

“I was in the restroom,” I answered flatly.

He stared at me for a long moment. “Aren’t you going to eat anything for dinner? You haven’t touched any food all day.”

“What do you want, Adonis? I’m not hungry.”

He didn’t reply right away. He just stood there watching me with that intense, angry look he always got whenever I pushed him away. The silence stretched between us until I could not stand it anymore.

“If you don’t have anything else to say, I’d rather go to bed and sleep.” I pulled the duvet over my body and turned my back to him.

“It’s still early,” he said.

“Well, I don’t want to do anything else, Adonis!” I yelled, my voice cracking with frustration.

“Fine,” he muttered. “Let’s go to bed then.”

I heard the rustle of fabric as he pulled off his shirt, revealing the tattooed, toned body I had come to know too well. My stomach tightened. I kept my eyes fixed on the wall.

“What are you doing?” I asked, sitting up quickly.

Adonis looked at me, his eyes dark and burning. “I told you before, Jasmine. I am not normal about you. Even though you refuse to listen to me, there’s one thing you can’t change. We are married.” He pointed at me angrily as he pushed down his joggers.

I stood up from the bed in a hurry. “Yes, I know we are married, but you know perfectly well that I don’t feel anything for you.” I gritted my teeth, trying to keep my voice steady even as my hands started to shake.

“I remember you told me I make you sick,” he said, stepping closer. “And it’s clear that when I kiss you or touch you, the only person on your fucking mind is that bastard Sebastian.”

I nodded.

“But guess what?” He closed the distance between us until I could feel the heat coming off his skin. “I don’t care. When your mother sold you to me as my wife, it wasn’t so you could be a nice ornament in my house. It was to give me children.”

He grabbed my arm and pulled me forcefully against his chest. His grip was strong, almost bruising.

“Let go of me, Adonis!” I cried out, pushing against him with all my strength.

“I did my part of the contract, Jasmine. I saved your family from going to the streets. Now it’s your turn to fulfill your part.” His mouth came down on mine in a hungry, demanding kiss.

I didn’t respond. I couldn’t. I stayed completely still, refusing to give him anything. My lips felt numb under his.

He pulled back, breathing hard, and moved his lips to my neck and then lower to my breast. When I still did not react, he let out a frustrated growl and pushed me onto the bed.

“Fuck you, Jasmine,” he snarled, running a hand through his hair. “Pray my men don’t find Sebastian, because I promise I will tear him into pieces right in front of you.”

“I guess you still don’t understand that I don’t feel anything for you,” I said, wiping my lips aggressively with the back of my hand.

Adonis laughed bitterly. “Am I not enough for you? I saved your family. I gave you everything.”

His eyes darkened. “And somehow, I’m still losing to a man who has nothing.”

He shook his head. “I don’t understand it. I just want you to want me the way I want you.”

He climbed onto the bed, anger and pain mixing in his eyes. “What’s worse is that your mother made a fool out of me. She had you pretending to care about me. So why is it so hard for you to keep up the act?”

In one swift movement, he tore my nightwear.

“You don’t have a clue how much I hate you,” I spat, trying to cover myself with my hands. “I hate you deeply, Adonis Salvatore.”

“Okay,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “If you won’t love me, then I have no choice but to resign myself to your hate. Because hate is a feeling as strong as love.” He lowered himself over me, pinning my wrists above my head with one hand.

“Believe me, Jasmine, I also have this hate and love feeling for you. It’s the only thing stopping me from putting a bullet in your skull.”

He kissed me again, hard and desperate, trying to force a response from me. I turned my face away, but he grabbed my chin and held me in place. His touch became rough and possessive. He ignored my pleas as his free hand moved down my body.

“Adonis… please,” I whispered, my voice shaking.

He did not listen. He forced himself on me despite my resistance.

Pain shot through my entire body. I cried out, my back arching off the bed. He froze for a second, his eyes widening in shock.

“Fuck… you were a virgin?” he breathed. But the shock quickly turned back into dark hunger.

Tears streamed down my face. I bit my lip hard, refusing to scream, refusing to give him the satisfaction of hearing me break. Every movement hurt. I felt trapped beneath him, helpless and exposed.

“You’re mine now, Jasmine. Only mine,” he groaned against my skin. “I don’t care if you hate me. I’ll ruin you for anyone else… especially Sebastian.”

I lay there, silent tears falling, enduring every second of it. The pain mixed with humiliation and a deep, burning anger. When he finally finished, he collapsed on top of me, breathing hard.

For a long moment, the only sound in the room was our ragged breathing. Then he pulled back slightly and looked at me. There was something unreadable in his eyes, regret mixed with raw possession.

He rolled off me without another word and lay on his back, staring at the ceiling.

I turned away from him immediately. I pulled the torn remains of my nightwear over my body as best as I could. The pain throbbed with every small movement. I curled into myself, silent tears still falling down my cheeks and onto the pillow.

This was my life now. Married to a man who claimed to love me and hated being denied.

I closed my eyes and listened to his breathing beside me.

Tomorrow would come whether I wanted it or not.

And when it did, I would still be his wife.