Chapter 1

Camille Ellery walked toward Stellan Loxley, one step at a time. She lifted her chin and asked, "What do you think? Should I make things official with him?"

Beneath her deliberately cool tone was a hint of unmistakable curiosity and anticipation.

Stellan's eyes reddened. His expression remained cold and defiant. "It's up to you. Maybe a shallow man would be tempted by your money, but not me!"

"Is that so?" Camille grabbed his wrist and let out a cold laugh. "If it weren't for money, would the once-proud Mr. Loxley be working as a waiter here?"

Stellan jerked his hand free, disgust written all over his face. "No matter how far I fall, I'll never beg you for anything! I quit! Happy now?"

Camille stared as he walked away without even a glance back, the sight reopening an old wound.

"Don't flatter yourself, Stellan. Even if you begged me, I'd never help a shallow man like you!"

…

That night, when Camille shoved Ansel Wells onto the bed and roughly tore open his clothes, showing him not the slightest respect, his eyes held nothing but numb resignation.

Camille was right. He had no soul.

When a merfolk was rescued, they could only regain their soul and return to the sea after fulfilling 1,001 wishes for their benefactor.

Three years ago, as a newly matured merfolk prince, he swam to the surface and was nearly slaughtered by a fishing crew.

Camille was the one who saved him.

Under the moonlight, he had asked nervously, "Can I stay by your side and fulfill 1,001 of your wishes before I leave?"

If she refused, his soulless body would dissolve into sea foam and cease to exist entirely.

Camille stared at his tail in astonishment, taking a long time before finally agreeing to take him with her. Yet, she never brought up her wish.

It wasn't until one night a month later, when she stumbled drunkenly into his room, that she finally brought it up.

"You can grant my wishes, right? I want you!"

Her scorching kisses fell on him, and that night, he clumsily but wholeheartedly fulfilled her very first wish.

After that, whether she wanted to kiss him 99 times under the moonlight, retrieve the last edelweiss with healing properties growing on a cliff, or increase her fortune, he painstakingly fulfilled every single wish she made.

For three years, he had been the only man in her life, sharing the most intimate of moments.

Ansel had almost believed that she was not just his savior but his lover. That was, until her first love, Stellan Loxley, returned to the country after going bankrupt.

Only then did Ansel learn that the night Camille got drunk and slept with him was because Stellan had gotten engaged to someone else.

Her 99 desperate, passionate kisses were a reaction to Stellan posting a photo of himself kissing his fiancée online.

The edelweiss he'd risked his life to pick had been anonymously mailed to Stellan, all because Stellan had scraped a little skin off his arm.

And she wanted to become richer and more powerful—so powerful that when Stellan, the man who had once abandoned her, finally looked back, he'd see her right away.

Even tonight, when she'd demanded that he declare his love for her in front of everyone, it had only been to make Stellan jealous and draw him back to her.

…

"Focus. Make me feel good. That's my new wish!"

Ansel snapped back to the present. He tilted his head up and gently pressed his lips to her collarbone, then kissed his way down, inch by inch.

Since it was her wish, he would give it his all.

Yet no matter what he tried, he couldn't arouse her interest.

"Forget it. I'll take care of myself," she said, dismissing him.

Ansel gathered his torn clothes and turned to leave. He had barely taken a few steps before he heard music and soft, breathless moans coming from inside the room.

He couldn't help but glance back. Camille had pulled up a video of Stellan singing. She traced her fingertips gently across the face on the screen, and before long, her whole body shivered from head to toe.

Ansel lowered his eyes, hiding the ache that threatened to overwhelm him.

His own voice had once been just as beautiful. But to trade his merfolk tail for human legs and come ashore, he'd had to sacrifice his melodious voice. And every step he took also came with searing pain, as though he were walking on razor blades.

Suddenly, the phone inside the room started ringing.

Camille gracefully adjusted her dress and hit the speakerphone button.

"Camille, want to hear some news about Stellan Loxley?"

Camille paused. "He's got nothing to do with me."

"That's perfect! Since you don't care, I'll bid on Stellan's virginity at the auction myself! Who would've thought that after all those years abroad—and even after being engaged—he's actually still a virgin—"

"Don't you dare!"

Camille sprang to her feet and rushed out the door in a complete panic.

Soon, the group chat was flooded with messages. As it turned out, Camille had made a "sky's-the-limit" bid and won the right to Stellan's virginity.

Ansel turned off his phone and slowly made his way back to his room.

It was strange. His feet were the ones that were supposed to feel like they were walking on sharp blades, so why was it his heart that was hurting?

Thankfully, there were only five wishes left. Once he'd fulfilled them, he'd finally be able to leave.

Then, perhaps, all this unspoken, confusing pain would finally come to an end.

Ansel had barely lain down when Camille—who was supposed to be spending a passionate night with Stellan—suddenly texted him.

"The presidential penthouse suite at Le Maule Hotel. Get over here right now."