One

NADIA POV 

There’s an old myth that says death can come in the form of a blessing, a door to a new life.

I never understood that until the night I was left to die, with nothing but darkness surrounding me and the taste of dirt filling my mouth as I struggled to take another breath.

My body felt numb from the cold, but the pain in my chest hoping for a miracle. I tried to move my arms, only to feel the weight of the earth pressing down on me, leaving me trapped in a place where no one would hear me even if I managed to scream.

I could still remember everything that had happened before I ended up here, and the more I remembered, the harder it became to believe that the person responsible was the same man I had trusted and loved.

For seven years, I had stood beside him while he built his company from nothing, believing that his success was our success and that the life we were building together was worth every sacrifice I made along the way.

I had trusted him completely, and that trust had led me to my grave.

As I lay beneath the ground, fighting for every breath, I prayed to God, to any deity who might be listening, for just one chance, one more chance at life.

And that chance stood right there, staring down at me.

“Help,” I managed, gasping for air. My lips trembled as a few droplets of blood fell from the wound on my head.

I stared blindly into the darkness, tears clinging to my eyelids as I whispered, “If there’s anyone out there, please help me.”

My eyes slowly began to close, the darkness around me growing heavier with every passing second. I could feel myself slipping away, my body finally giving in to the exhaustion that had been consuming me.

Then, suddenly, I could breathe.

Fresh air rushed into my lungs, and I gasped as though I had been underwater for hours. My eyes fluttered open, but everything in front of me was blurred. I could barely make out the figure leaning over me, only a dark silhouette against the faint light above.

I tried to focus on the face, desperate to see who had found me, but my vision refused to cooperate. All I could make out was the sound of a deep voice saying something I couldn’t understand.

I wanted to answer, but my body no longer had the strength. My eyes fluttered once more before the darkness swallowed me completely.

I woke up abruptly, my eyes flying open as a sharp pain shot through my head. I instinctively raised a hand to the side of my head, wincing when my fingers brushed against the bandage covering the wound.

For a few seconds, I simply lay there, trying to understand where I was. This wasn’t the cold earth I had been trapped beneath, and there was no darkness pressing down on me. I was lying on a soft bed in a room I had never seen before.

I slowly looked around, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. The room was spacious and tastefully decorated, with warm lighting, dark wooden furniture, and floor-to-ceiling windows covered by heavy curtains. Nothing about it looked familiar, and the realization made my heart begin to race.

I tried to move so I could sit up, but the moment I lifted my upper body, another wave of pain shot through my head.

“I advise you to stay still.” The voice came from directly in front of me.

I froze and slowly looked up.

A man was sitting in an armchair across from the bed, one leg casually crossed over the other as he watched me with an unreadable expression.  He was dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit, with the top button of his white shirt left undone. His dark hair was neatly styled, and his sharp features gave his face an intimidating elegance. His jaw was strong, his cheekbones prominent, and his eyes remained fixed on me with an intensity that made it difficult to look away.

“You’re lucky to be alive,” he said, lifting his hand and pointing toward the bandage wrapped around my head.

I swallowed hard, my throat feeling raw as I tried to speak. My voice came out weak and hoarse, barely louder than a whisper.

“Who are you?” I asked, looking around the unfamiliar room before turning my eyes back to him. “And where am I?”

He leaned back in his chair, his eyes remaining cold and unreadable.

“The man who saved your life,” he replied. “And you’re in my house.”

“If I had been even a minute later, you would have been…” He let the words trail off, but I understood what he meant.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

He watched me silently for a moment before finally speaking.

“I don’t need your thanks, Nadia.”

My eyes widened. How did he know my name?

My heart began to pound as I stared at him, suddenly forgetting the pain in my head. Who was this man, and how did he know who I was?

Had Evan sent him?

Or Sophia?

Fear gripped me as I slowly pulled the blanket closer to my body, unable to take my eyes off the stranger sitting across from me.

Perhaps he noticed the fear in my eyes because his expression shifted slightly.

“You don’t have to be afraid. I’m not going to hurt you,” he said, his voice calm but still carrying that cold edge. “There is only one thing I need from you.”

I swallowed, my fingers tightening around the blanket. “What is it?”

He studied me for a few seconds, and something in his eyes softened before he looked away. When his gaze returned to mine, it was cold and unreadable again.

“I need you to become my wife.”