Knox, Certainly, I knew what I was doing. But why I was doing it—I had no idea. My heart clenched at the sight of Violet standing there, stunned, with blood dripping down her chin. She looked emotionless, hollow, and somehow... too distant. It was as if I were standing on the shore while she was on the edge of a cliff—any moment now, she would fall, but not toward me. She would plummet somewhere too far, somewhere beyond my reach. Too late to save. I knew she was tolerating this because of me. The Violet I knew never endured nonsense that disrupted her normal life. She was always composed, sharp, and unwilling to be dragged into anyone’s mess. But now, she was enduring it. For me. "Violet!" I called out as soon as Mrs. Smith rushed forward to calm Sarah down. I hadn’t expected Sarah to react this way. The marriage was just an arrangement between two families, nothing more. Our sole objective was to have children together, to produce an heir—that was the agreement. But… "Vi
Violet, When I woke up with a sharp pain in my head, I noticed Mom, Knox, and Sam were having a conversation—or maybe a heated argument, I couldn’t quite fathom. A bit of confusion worked within me about my surroundings, and then I recalled the situation I was in earlier. A bitter laugh escaped me as I realized how foolishly I had overreacted to Knox’s words. How foolish! He was right when he said that. He never saw me as anything more than a buddy who grew up with him. The woman who had lost everything was his love of life. I should have shown a bit of compassion. But then again, I didn’t know how to show compassion to anyone. It was worthless to even talk about. Whatever it was, I should have said something else instead of calling his woman infertile. “Violet! You’re up!” Sam approached quickly. My mother rushed to me and held my hands. “How are you feeling, sweetheart?” I pulled my hand away. Her sweetness felt as fake as ever. But I didn’t want to make any conversation. “Yea
Sarah Smith,"Ms. Sarah, we have appointed a psychologist to help you cope with the overwhelming emotions you're feeling right now. Trust me, she's an expert—absolutely perfect for the situation."Sam Riverwood, Violet’s brother, stood near the foot of my hospital bed, his voice calm, his smile professional. He scribbled something in his notebook as he spoke, as if I was just another patient, just another case in his daily life.I barely nodded, eyes fixed on the pale wall in front of me. The silence in the room was thick, but I wasn’t interested in breaking it."Any discomfort? Headache or nausea?" he asked, glancing at the IV drip connected to my arm."No. Thanks." I shifted my gaze to his face. "By the way, Doc," I said, my voice low but clear, "does your sister like my fiancé?"Sam paused, visibly taken aback. His pen stopped midair, and a faint frown formed between his brows. "If you mean romantically... I don’t think so," he replied after a beat, clearly confused by my directnes
Violet,Although at first I didn’t actually feel anything, recently I started feeling drained and exhausted out of nowhere. Earlier today, I had an important meeting with one of the biggest clients, and I almost collapsed on the floor while talking to him.Certainly, it’s normal to feel a bit under the weather, and clients understand that we’re human too. But I hated the fact that I had to pause the meeting for five minutes to deal with it.My blood pressure was fine. I took my vitamins, and the meal was from my regular diet—yet I was weak?Does it even make any sense?Running my fingers through my hair, I sat in the car. Mirah had been a bit more attentive to me than her work. Is she trying to slack off?However, before I could tell the driver to move, a knock on the car window made me look up.At first, I didn’t recognize him. But Mirah gasped when she did. She hurriedly moved to me and opened *my* door without even asking for permission.“What are you doing, Mirah?” My voice was co
"I don't understand! What happened seven years ago that caused you to lash out?" I scoffed, standing up. I had been an expert at feigning my emotions. Hopefully, he wouldn't see through me. "You are childish. You better clean up yourself before returning home."I said, walking out of the bathroom. However, he stopped me, holding my wrist. "You never said what made you leave the country so suddenly. It's a mystery to everyone, even me!"My eyes widened when he said that. I thought he believed me when I said I needed to leave for some personal reason."It's even!" I said, my voice light. "Let's not dwell on this anymore!""What do you mean by 'it's even'? What is even?" he asked, his voice frantic.My eyebrows arched as I faced him. "Since I ghosted you for six months when we were in senior school, and now you ghosted me for a whole year... I think we both know what kind of pain we felt when we were ghosting each other and prioritizing anything else!""Wh-What? No. That's not the same!"
Knox,"She is under stress. Please give her the company she needs to feel loved and cherished," the female psychiatrist stood up, leaving me and Sarah alone in her room.Earlier, when Mark informed me about her situation, I came here immediately. Because of my work commitments, I couldn't give her enough time. However, instead of seeing her unconscious or being examined, I was sent to her room with the female psychiatrist.At first, I didn't think much of it, but... the conversation went this way..."Mr. Silverfang, I understand that you trust your best friend and have given her the privilege of having your child. But as Ms. Sarah's fiancé, you should help her understand why you took such a drastic measure!"I took a glance at Sarah, who avoided eye contact. I thought I had had a fair conversation with her regarding the situation."Ms. Sarah has made it clear that she is uncomfortable around Ms. Violet Riverwood. Have you reconsidered your fiancée's emotions in this situation?" she ke
Knox,Practically, I was unaware of what I was labeling the relationship that had suddenly taken a turn between us. Although I hadn’t met her in the last ten months, I came to see her every day in secret. I watched the coldness in her grow—slowly, gradually—towards everyone around her.If someone had asked me what I thought about Violet, I could never imagine her as a romantic partner. Not because she wasn’t beautiful or someone that sparked desire. It was because… she was beyond reach.People call me ruthless, a dominating businessman who never bowed to defeat. But that wasn’t true.Violet was the true example of dominance. She was everything a human wished they could become.She doesn’t fake. She doesn’t sugarcoat. She won’t pose in front of the camera to look perfect. She is the example of perfection itself.She never stammered, never hesitated, and never stopped doing what she truly wanted to do.I always wanted to reach her, walk beside her—whether as a man or a best friend. Eith
Knox,I was invited to the family dinner as Violet's husband, not as his best friend. I was supposed to set the boundaries to make sure we didn't feel conflicted but... I couldn't bring myself to do it.So I decided to talk to Violet instead, since she knew how to draw a line with her family. I didn’t want to disappoint them or make them upset regarding the matter."Vio!" I knocked on the door. It still felt so weird to knock when we used to walk in without caring about anything."Come in!" she shouted from her room."What are you doing? Aren’t we going to your parents’ house?" I asked, walking in. A gentle scent hit my nostrils when the wind brushed past my face."I am almost ready!" she said in her usual calm tone, twisting her hair into a messy bun.I scanned her — sweatpants, a purse, no makeup. She was never enthusiastic about having dinner with her family. But I thought this dinner was supposed to celebrate our temporary wedding. That’s what they said in their messages."Ready?
Knox,I lost control."Shut up!" I roared, slamming him against the chair, gun against his temple. "She is not part of this madness! She hates crime. She faints at the sight of blood. She’s terrified of the dark. She’s not like us. She never will be!"My pulse thundered. My hands shook."I will protect her. From people like you. From everyone. Not even my fucking grandfather can touch her. I will kill anyone who comes near her. She’s mine. Mine to protect.""Boss," Mark’s voice was cautious. "Let go."I stepped back, breath ragged. The man slumped, face purple. I had nearly killed him.I couldn’t believe it. Violet wasn’t like us. She was light in the middle of my nightmare. I had shielded her from this world with blood and lies. Now someone dared say she was behind it?No. It had to be my grandfather. That old monster had always wanted control. And he knew my weakness—her. She had been using her to control me. Not fucking anymore. Of course he’d use her to manipulate me. I would kil
Knox,Work on the weekend?Violet didn’t even blink. Didn’t question it, didn’t complain. Either she didn’t hear me—or worse, she didn’t care anymore. And that stung deeper than any bullet I’d ever taken.Each day, I watched her drift further away. And it was killing me. She didn’t fight. She didn’t cry. She didn’t get angry. She just… shut down. Like I meant nothing. Like we meant nothing. And for a man like me, silence was more violent than screams."Boss."Mark’s voice echoed through the underground chamber. He held a file in one hand, a laptop and phone in the other, face taut with urgency."They caught the rat. One of our buildings. You need to see him."He handed me the devices. Foreign. Not ours. "Found these with him. IT says he was siphoning data. Trying to steal our internal protocols."A smirk pulled at the corner of my lips."A man with a steel heart had the balls to crawl into my territory? Brave. But fucking stupid." I stood, adjusting my cufflinks. "Let’s pay him a visi
I froze. A flicker of something stirred in my chest—something sharp, unwelcome. She smirked and leaned back, watching me like a hawk. Her eyes searched for cracks, but I quickly masked it. Expressionless. As always.Still... I froze. Knox likes me? That was laughable. He didn't even see me as a woman. “What makes you think that, Ms. Sarah? Everyone knows Knox likes me. I’m his—”“Romantically.” She cut in..Her smirk deepened.I felt my chest tightening. It would explode anytime. But I knew what I needed to do. She was trying to push my button. And I would show her that I wasn't a weakling like her, “Hah. Are you delusional? If he loved me, he would be with me. Not you, Ms. Sarah.”“You don’t believe me? Fine. But what about you?”This time I straightened my back. I had planned to treat her respectfully since she came to talk business. But now she was testing my patience.“Do you think you’d be sitting here if I loved him? I don’t share—”“No need to lie to me about it,” she smirked.
Violet,My grandma, bless her soul, used to say—never provoke a soul if you can’t handle the outcome. Always stay humble with people who are honest, and stay quiet when you don’t want to reveal yourself to those you don’t trust.Sarah—this woman—I didn’t hate her at first. Not when Knox told me he broke our promises and got engaged. Not even when we first met. I actually pitied her. She lost everything. She didn’t even have the ability to get pregnant.I didn’t find any reason to hate her. I was envious of her. I had everything the world could offer—but she had the one thing I wanted most. And I'd trade it all, every last piece of it, just to have what she did..I thought she was lucky. She got my man.However, she didn’t think of me the way she should have. The way I would’ve blessed her—with my whole heart and a very expensive wedding gift.Too bad she thought she needed to compete with me for someone she already had.What a stupid girl.After she asked to talk, we came back home. K
Violet,I felt a strong thirst for him. When my eyes met his, I forced myself to act normal, letting the thirst dissolve within me. I ran to him, chased him, walked to him, and even crawled to him. Yet... he was never mine. Knox was there. The phone I saw earlier was his. So he returned last night after I fell asleep.When I returned to my ward, I found him frantically searching for me. Yes, for me. Seeing the man you love become desperate brings a whole different level of satisfaction—maybe something else. I didn’t quite know what it was. Yet, I wanted him to be like this—to want me, to desire me, to see me as someone he would love, kiss, and crave.“Hey!” I said, my voice calm.Although I felt a hint of heartache after seeing that woman, I could do nothing more than help her in the way that would secure her child’s future. She was ready to do anything for her child.The child was lucky—having a parent who would go to any extent to save him. I wondered how the kid would feel when h
Gisele,My mind was spiraling when that woman appeared before me. She was smug, her attitude arrogant—like she was looking down on me.When she sat down on the bench right in front of me, I was dumbfounded. It was as if she was enjoying my misery.She was rich, holding a black card like it was disposable, flaunting her wealth while I was ready to die for my son.When she asked me to give her what I considered my most valuable possession in exchange for my son's life, I handed her the most sentimental, most important thing I had—the ring my fiancé gave me the day before our son, Alex, was born. That same day, his father, my fiancé, died in a crash.I had never met such an arrogant and cruel woman. I thought she was mocking me—trying to show me I couldn’t do anything for my son. Not even the most precious thing my fiancé left behind mattered to her.She watched me cry like I was performing some tragic act that intrigued her. Her eyes never left me, but held an emotion so complex, it fel
Violet,I opened my eyes, finding myself lying in the hospital bed. Saturday was over, and now Sunday would end with this unwanted stuff.However, for a second, I looked around, wishing someone would be here. But nobody was. The tranquility of the room felt like a slap on my face.It reminded me of that night when I was lying on the bed with a knife in my back and no one around.Taking a deep breath, pushing those unwanted memories aside, I grabbed my phone to check if there was anything important. I didn't have anything to do at this hour.But the moment I turned my phone on, the flood of messages made me drop it. It rattled for a second before I turned off the vibration.But I regretted checking those messages."Hey! It's Mom. I heard you're hospitalized. Don't you think it's karma for humiliating the entire family?" — from my mother's number."How are you doing? I heard from Mom that you're at the hospital. I have surgery, so I won't be able to meet you. Be careful when you move ar
Sarah,I was breathless when I arrived at my parents' estate. For once, I didn't have time to pretend I was afraid of driving. After years of being an actress, I knew how to fake a breakdown—how to look shattered without feeling a thing. But now, with Violet, I didn’t have to act.She made me feel it for real.The servants greeted me as I entered, but I brushed past them without even trying to hide my irritation. I had no patience for their presence or their hollow smiles. My heels clicked sharply on the marble floor as I headed straight for the living room.That’s when I heard my father’s voice.“Twenty million in termination fees. It’s in the contract!” he shouted. His voice was rough—strained with disbelief.I slowed down, curiosity halting my steps.My mother sat next to him, her trembling hands fumbling through a stack of papers on the table. I watched her face drain of color as she read whatever was printed there.“Honey… did we act too quickly? It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have s
"Grandpa! What will happen if we terminate any contract without any explanation or solid reason?"I asked, feeling the chill down my spine. My hair stood up, feeling the terror creating turmoil inside me. His brows raised, "Maybe you will be blocked by her company. If she blocks your company, that means the entire Business Association will block you as well!" "What?" I exclaimed with horror. "Why would the Business Association block our company? You said she doesn't play dirty!" "Listen, kid!" He leaned closer... "Despite the fact that she has all the little dirty secrets under her control, Violet is one of the most trusted businesswomen. They'll choose her over me without a second guess. Now, if she thinks that she doesn't want to be a partner with a certain company, those people will automatically pull themselves away. Because Violet never plays unfair games in business. She puts her business and personal life separately!" My heart raced against my chest... What if we face som