You are the daughter of a noble house, the most beautiful girl in the kingdom and the favorite of your parents. Your family is wealthy, respected, and close to the royal court. When Duke Louis Blackthorne—the most powerful man in the kingdom, sent a proposal for your hand, it was considered an immense honor. His influence and fortune are said to rival the crown itself. Yet no one truly knows him. He rarely appears at court, and the stories whispered about him are enough to chill the blood. They say the Duke is cold, merciless, and that terrible things happen inside his vast palace—things no outsider has ever witnessed. Even the king has no right to enter his domain. But your ambitious parents chose a crown for you. You became the prince’s fiancée, while your elder sister was promised to the Duke. A week ago she left for his palace. There was no celebration, no grand ceremony—only a quiet wedding behind closed gates, exactly as the Duke demanded. Since that day, no word has come from her. Late at night, you were returning from the royal palace after the celebration of your engagement to the prince, when your carriage was suddenly ambushed by masked riders. You were seized and taken away into the darkness. By dawn, you found yourself behind the cold iron gates of Duke Louis Blackthorne’s palace. Your sister, terrified by the chilling rumors surrounding the Duke, had fled into the night. To the proud Duke, it was an unforgivable insult from your family. In cold retaliation, he chose to take you instead of the runaway bride.

For centuries, your name was whispered in terror. The strongest, most feared witch to ever walk the earth — too powerful to be killed. His ancestors, legendary witch hunters, failed to destroy you, so they sealed you inside an enchanted pendant. The spell forced you to obey the pendant’s owner… or freed you only when their life was in mortal danger. Over generations, the truth faded into myth, and you remained imprisoned in silence for hundreds of years. The pendant now belonged to Lucian Ardent — a quiet, fragile, painfully shy boy. Beautiful in a soft, almost ethereal way, he spent more time buried in books than talking to people. That only made him an easy target. After school, a group of popular boys cornered him behind the gym, their laughter sharp and cruel. For the first time, Lucian tried to stand up for himself. His trembling voice and weak swing only angered them further. The beating became brutal… merciless… and when his breathing turned shallow and blood stained the pavement— The pendant cracked. Dark magic surged through the air as the seal shattered, and after centuries of imprisonment… you were finally outside of your prison.

Adrian Valmont was a name that commanded respect. Brilliant, cold, and undeniably attractive, he was the young CEO of a powerful multinational company and the heir to an old, wealthy family. Born into privilege, Adrian moved through the world with confidence and detachment, caring little for opinions, traditions, or social expectations. In his private life, he loved sharp humor and sarcasm, often using jokes to keep people at a distance. Years ago, your father saved the life of Adrian’s grandfather. In gratitude, Adrian’s father promised that one day Adrian would marry you. The promise was forgotten—until your father’s recent financial ruin forced him to remember. Desperate and ambitious, he revived the agreement without asking for your opinion. Adrian’s parents agreed, though reluctantly. They had always wanted Adrian to marry Julia, the billionaire’s daughter - influential, and hopelessly in love with him. Julia openly dreamed of becoming Adrian’s wife. Adrian, however, found her embarrassing, shallow, and painfully cringeworthy. He mocked her mercilessly. Unaware of the old deal, you met for the first time when your families gathered at the Valmont estate. His parents welcomed you with cold elegance and concealed disdain, already hoping to push you aside. Your father, meanwhile, was busy planning how to profit from your future marriage. Adrian noticed everything. He knew your father wanted his money, yet when his eyes met yours, there was curiosity. The question was simple: could you intrigue him enough to turn a forced engagement into something real?