Chapter 1

I enjoyed my time in the bathroom because it meant I didn’t have to face him, nor would I be reminded of certain terrifying memories.

But as I stared blankly at the foggy mirror above the sink, even the hazy steam couldn’t obscure the glaring marks on my body.

My eyes reddened as I stared at my reflection in the mirror until the slow, deliberate sound of knocking came from the door.

"You’ve been in there a while. If you don’t come out soon, I’ll go in."

I was speechless.

It wasn’t the first time Ethan had walked into the bathroom unannounced.

Panicked, I quickly turned off the shower and wrapped a towel around myself.

…

Breakfast was neatly laid out on the table as usual, though Ethan likely didn’t have time to eat.

The morning news droned on in the background as he effortlessly adjusted his tie with practiced precision.

Noticing me staring at him, he leaned down and tapped my nose with a smirk.

"Like what you see? Next time, you can tie it for me."

I turned my face away, avoiding his gaze.

He chuckled lightly, unfazed, and deliberately picked up the glass of milk I’d been drinking, taking a sip right where my lip mark was left.

"Be good. Wait for me to come back. Tonight, I’ll take you to look at wedding dresses."

Ethan left shortly after.

I stared blankly at the television for a long while.

Then, in a sudden burst of anger, I grabbed the glass he had just drunk from and hurled it at the television.

The screen only trembled slightly, but the glass shattered across the floor with a loud crash.

The sound started the house staff, who cried out in alarm.

I hugged my knees and sat frozen in place, tears streaming down my face as I cried.

…

Ethan was once my worst nightmare.

Back in high school, he was the ringleader of the group that bullied me the most.

He would stand above me, looking down with disdain, as he tossed all my books from my bag down the stairwell.

He orchestrated my isolation, ensuring no one dared to befriend me.

With just a word from him, a group of girls dragged me into the bathroom and slapped me across the face.

As long as Ethan took the lead in tormenting me, no one dared to step in.

After all, he was the son of the CEO of a major corporation.

Our school even had an entire building donated by his family.

When he mocked me openly, it became a trend in the class to pick on me.

I heard that many of the girls had a crush on him, drawn to his looks and the fact that he was their idea of the perfect man.

But to me, he was nothing but the demon who left me sleepless, night after night.

And this person, seven years after graduation, suddenly said he wanted to marry me.

…

I still couldn’t shake the habit of trembling whenever I saw Ethan, even after sharing the same bed with him for three weeks.

There was no one to help me. When my mother found out someone of Ethan’s status wanted to marry me, she couldn’t stop celebrating her “good fortune.”

Ethan seemed to have changed cars again. This time, the backseat was particularly spacious.