Chapter 1: The Walking Attraction

On an early spring night, the chill lingered in the air.

Halfway through the opening event of Sin Pub, light snowflakes quietly began to fall. The warm yellow streetlights cast soft glows over intertwined tree branches, creating a misty winter atmosphere.

Up in a second-floor VIP booth, thundering bass echoed from afar. Daisy curled into a corner of the plush leather sofa, lazily unlocking her phone.

Having just wrapped up her live stream, Chloe leaned in and whispered into Daisy's ear, "There's a foam party down on the dance floor at ten. Want to head down?"

Before Daisy could answer, a vibrant beam of spotlight swept across them. Squinting slightly, Daisy declined, "Nah, it's way too cold. Plus, I'm on my period."

"Drinking alcohol on your period?" Chloe rolled her eyes, picking up Daisy's glass to inspect it. "What is this? It smells so sharp."

"Hot Toddy with fresh ginger," Daisy replied nonchalantly.

"Ginger..." Chloe was momentarily lost for words. "Seriously? I haven't seen you for a few days and you've already hit a mid-life health crisis? How about I bring you heating pads next time, along with a pair of five-centimeter thermal knee pads?"

Daisy retorted, "Your brother swore this was a seasonal winter special reserved strictly for VIPs. I can't believe I actually fell for it. Hand me a magazine, will you? Beauty, jewelry, whatever's fine."

She couldn't dance at a party while nursing herself, and her phone was boring. Sitting here without anything to do was getting tedious.

"Fine," Chloe grunted, turning around to grab a magazine.

As she turned back, a spotlight happened to flash over their corner once more before sweeping away.

The hidden nook where Daisy sat had been brightly illuminated for a split second. Seeing Daisy's features in that brief flash, Chloe felt a sudden surge of awe—even though she was a woman herself.

Daisy's beauty was legendary among the second-generation elites of North City.

Now, as the lighting dimmed back down, Daisy leaned comfortably against the cushions. Her silhouette was exquisitely curved, and her skin looked like fine white porcelain under the soft light.

Her face was strikingly gorgeous, complemented by voluminous dark wavy hair and vintage red lips. She was breathtakingly alluring.

Thus, even though Daisy kept a rare low profile tonight and didn't tear up the dance floor, many glances kept drifting toward their booth.

Several men had already sent drinks over. Daisy hadn't explicitly accepted or rejected them. Chloe, accustomed to this, casually picked up one of the cocktails and took a sip.

"By the way, my brother asked us to stick around longer," Chloe added, handing a fresh issue of Vogue to Daisy before retrieving another for herself. "He wants to introduce us to the band performing the opening show once he's free."

Daisy switched on the small reading light behind the sofa. "MadeIn?"

That was the name of a rock band currently taking the internet by storm, trending heavily on both Instagram and Weibo.

Chloe nodded. "Yeah, they've got insane momentum lately. My brother is planning to sign them."

Chloe had two older brothers: the eldest, Julian, was the CEO of Huayang Entertainment; the second, Leo, was the owner of this pub.

She was naturally referring to her eldest brother.

Daisy offered a noncommittal "Oh" and didn't press further.

Chloe slid closer to her and probed carefully, "You still don't care for my eldest brother?"

Julian had pursued Daisy aggressively years ago. Now a wildly successful CEO, he was considered a top-tier bachelor among the city's wealthy elite.

Though he no longer brought it up openly, Chloe could still tell that Daisy held a special place in his heart.

Flipping casually through the magazine, Daisy replied indifferently, "You really want to call me sister-in-law that badly? I just don't feel a spark with him."

"Feelings can be cultivated over time!"

Daisy remarked, "Besides, your brother wouldn't care to steal someone else's woman anyway."

Chloe choked on her words. After a moment, she asked, "So... when on earth is that fiancé of yours actually coming back to marry you?"

Daisy had a fiancé, an arrangement made by their grandfathers back when they were kids.

Chloe didn't know his name or background—only that he had lived abroad for years and had never returned.

"He's probably forgotten all about the engagement and is out having the time of his life with girls overseas," Chloe said, trying her hardest to advocate for her brother. "He'll probably ask for a cancellation tomorrow."

Daisy's eyes lit up instantly. "That would be wonderful!"

Chloe: "..."

Before Daisy's smile faded, she continued browsing. Suddenly, Chloe grabbed Daisy's wrist, winking frantically: "Babe, handsome guy at eight o'clock!"

Chloe was hardly an easily impressed girl. For her to call someone handsome meant he was truly exceptional.

Daisy glanced in the direction she pointed. Before she could clearly make out his face, Chloe gasped softly, "Is that a custom Patek Philippe on his wrist? He's loaded!"

Although the crowd tonight consisted entirely of wealthy individuals, wealth had tiers. Not everyone casually wore a timepiece worth tens of millions.

Due to the dim lighting, it took Daisy a moment to discern the watch face. It was a deep midnight blue, glowing faintly like a star-filled ocean bed.

It was indeed ridiculously expensive.

The man's hands complemented the watch perfectly.

Prominent, well-defined wrists and clean, elegant fingers were bathed in the pub's cool white lights—understated, refined, and as exquisite as a piece of fine art.

The second-floor seating area was relatively quiet. The man stood in a lit area, turned partially away as he spoke with someone.

He wore a crisp white shirt with one hand tucked into his trouser pocket, his long legs encased in tailored dark slacks. He exuded an air of aloof nobility, polished intellect, and effortless composure.

Though young, he clearly didn't look like a spoiled rich playboy out to cause trouble. Instead, he radiated the commanding presence of someone at the absolute top of the hierarchy.

Hmm... he looked vaguely familiar.

As if somewhere in her memory, a similar figure had once stood with the same dignified, sharp elegance.

After a few seconds, the two men turned around and walked toward the exit.

"Go get his number!" Chloe perked up, rearing to stand.

Daisy chuckled, "Go ahead then."

"I'll get it for you! I'll tell him a gorgeous girl over there asked me to come flirt on her behalf," Chloe teased intentionally.

Sometimes she really couldn't understand Daisy. With a face captivating enough to turn the heads of the world, she had every right to break hearts left and right. Yet, she remained completely indifferent to romance and had been single her entire life.

Predictably, Daisy lazily declined, "No thanks. I have no interest in dating."

Chloe grew anxious. "You can't go on like this! What if your fiancé finds some vixen abroad and dumps you? Who will you cry to then?"

"There's still your brother, isn't there?" Daisy teased playfully.

Chloe flared up, "Are you using my brother as a backup plan?!"

Daisy pinched Chloe's chubby, puffed-up cheek. "Alright, alright, I'm just joking."

Chloe demanded a serious answer: "Tell me today: would you choose my brother, who is completely devoted to you, or your missing fiancé? I bet he's nowhere near as handsome as my brother! If he is, I'll live stream eating..."

Daisy promptly clapped a hand over Chloe's mouth.

"Mmh... mmph! What are you doing!"

Daisy said, "I'm protecting you from having to follow through on that promise."

Although she didn't care for her cheap fiancé, she had to admit that back in high school, when he wore a crisp white shirt and dark school trousers, his tall posture and striking aura made him a walking hormone—an absolute heartthrob.

Speaking honestly, out of all the men she had ever met, none stood much of a chance against him.

"You have that much confidence in your fiancé?! You haven't seen him in nine years. What if he aged horribly?" Chloe delivered a soul-searching question.

Daisy tried to imagine Ethan aging horribly, and whatever image popped into her head made her burst into a sudden snicker.

Halfway through her laugh, however, she hit a cruel reality—no matter how horribly he had aged, he was still destined to be her future husband.

Just like that, her smile evaporated.

Right at that moment, her phone rang. It was a call from her family, urgently telling her to return home immediately.

Unsure of what had happened, but sensing the gravity from their tone, Daisy had no choice but to bid Chloe goodbye, grab her bag, and head downstairs.

Chapter 2: The Breathtaking Catch

Downstairs, the pub boasted a chic and grand layout spanning well over a thousand square meters, with the dance floor alone taking up more than half the venue.

Dozens of side screens framed the perimeter, displaying shimmering starry motifs that pulsed to the beat of the music, accentuating a colossal digital planet rendered on the main stage backdrop.

The lighting and electronic beats created an electric atmosphere, with an endless crowd bursting into wave upon wave of ecstatic cheers.

Daisy walked along the edge of the venue, when a loud boom suddenly erupted from above.

The next second, tens of thousands of gallons of white foam sprayed down from the ceiling. The partying crowd below was instantaneously buried under a blanket of cascading foam.

Daisy was naturally not spared either. Drenched in foam from head to toe, her rage spiked straight to its peak—

Leo, that idiot, why on earth is he throwing a foam party in the dead of winter?!

Click-clacking her seven-centimeter heels, she stomped toward the exit in frustration. Before she could even step out with full dramatic indignation, her bad luck struck again—she tripped over a raised metal door threshold.

Just as she was about to make intimate contact with the hard floor, a firm, strong hand wrapped around her waist.

With a gentle pull, Daisy was swept into a solid chest. Her cheek brushed against a crisp white dress shirt, feeling the faint, solid warmth of his body beneath the fabric.

A clean, icy scent swept over her.

It smelled like a quiet, pristine snowfield—crisp air laced with subtle notes of rich cedarwood.

It all happened in a split second.

Once she regained her footing, the man released his grip and stepped back to a respectful social distance, acting every bit the chivalrous gentleman.

Still shaken, Daisy raised her eyes and froze on the spot.

It was the man she had just spotted up on the second floor.

—

Outside, snowflakes drifted down lazily from the night sky. As Daisy waited for her driver, the foam on her outfit gradually melted away.

The winter wind bit cold against her skin, so she wrapped her coat tightly around herself. From the corner of her eye, she noticed that the man had not left yet either.

He seemed to be waiting for someone, casually leaning against the wall with one hand tucked into the pocket of his impeccably tailored trousers. He exuded the unmistakable aura of an elite decision-maker.

Daisy couldn't resist sneaking another look.

Up close, she could clearly appreciate his icy, abstinent features. His almond-shaped eyes tilted up slightly at the corners—aloof, arrogant, yet undeniably captivating.

Wait a second...

Her mind exploded like a sudden thunderclap.

Ignoring the falling snow, Daisy hurried down the steps to escape.

Yet before she could take more than a single stride, her wrist was tightly seized from behind, pulling her back.

Cursing under her breath, she barely managed to keep her balance. Then, a familiar voice called out from behind her—it was Leo: "Brother Ethan, it's freezing out here. What brought you outside?"

"Daisy," the man murmured her name in a slow, unhurried cadence.

A chill crept up her spine, instantly reminding her of the very first time he had caught her skipping her school uniform back in high school.

The traumatic shadow ran deep.

Unable to wrench her wrist free, Daisy had no choice but to turn back, forcing a look of stunned surprise into her gorgeous eyes: "Sir, you must have mistaken me for someone else."

Ethan did not reply, his deep, penetrating gaze resting heavily upon her.

The two were locked in a silent standoff. Seeing this, Leo stepped in to smooth things over: "Brother Ethan, you know Daisy too? She had a family dinner tonight so she couldn't make it."

Turning to Daisy, Leo put on an amazingly convincing act of astonishment: "Whoa, now that I look closer, you two really do look alike!"

Having hung out together for years, Daisy and Leo shared an effortless tacit understanding.

It was a terrible script and atrocious acting, but surviving the moment was all that mattered.

Finally, Ethan released her wrist. Exhaling a breath of relief, Daisy didn't linger for a second longer—she made a swift exit.

Inside the car, she closed her eyes, completely speechless at her luck: Running into her long-lost, cheap fiancé after nine years at a pub—what kind of cursed luck was this?

—

The snowfall grew heavier as the white Ferrari's taillights vanished into the distance. Seeing Ethan standing motionless by the entrance, Leo called out tentatively, "Brother Ethan?"

Ethan offered no reply. He merely cast his gaze downward to the faint lipstick smudge left on his white shirt. As he raised his eyes again, his thumb brushed softly over the stain, while the snowflakes on his dark hair melted into tiny drops of water.

Before returning to the main family estate, Daisy instructed her driver to take a detour to her apartment, where she took a quick hot shower.

She stripped off her bodycon strap dress and sparkly statement earrings, changing into an elegant fishtail skirt, a pristine white wool coat, dainty pearl studs on her ears, and a delicate jade bangle on her wrist.

In the mirror, the woman now wore soft, demure makeup with bright eyes and clear teeth—transforming in an instant from a sultry high-society flower into a delicate, innocent white lotus.

Satisfied, Daisy picked up a pure white chain bag from her walk-in closet and rode the private elevator downstairs.

Girls born into wealthy dynasties—especially someone like Daisy, who had been betrothed to an elite family since childhood—were essentially raised according to the gold standard of a high-society matriarch.

No matter how wildly they partied in private, they always had to put on an obedient, gentle facade in front of the family.

Daisy's social media privacy groups alone exceeded thirty different tiers. Her daily posts for family members consisted strictly of tea rooms, floral art workshops, and literary reading salons.

Back at the family mansion, she naturally set aside her phone to converse politely with her elders, never letting her demure persona crack.

Except today...

Thinking back to her encounter at the pub entrance, Daisy couldn't help but feel an ominous foreboding.

Out of everyone she could have run into, it just had to be Ethan... He wouldn't turn around and sell her out to her family, would he?

—

Despite the lingering anxiety in her chest, Daisy maintained a flawless composure. The moment she crossed the threshold of the main residence, she automatically switched into her gentle and elegant persona.

Handing her coat and bag to the waiting servant, she sat beside her mother, Eleanor, on the sofa: "I was just watching the ballet with Chloe when I got your call, so I came straight over."

"Which show was it?" Eleanor asked casually.

Daisy offered a sweet smile: "Sleeping Beauty. Lilia is my absolute favorite principal dancer, and since her tour came to North City, I couldn't miss it."

Eleanor nodded in satisfaction.

With a subtle wave of her hand, she dismissed the servant massaging her shoulders before speaking: "I heard Ethan is back in the country. Has he contacted you yet?"

Daisy's heart skipped a beat, but she answered truthfully: "Not yet."

"It's fine. You'll get reacquainted soon enough," Eleanor patted the back of Daisy's hand gently. "The wedding date is set for June. If Ethan isn't too busy during this period, go on a few more dates with him to cultivate your feelings."

Daisy gave an instinctive "Oh," but then her mind caught up: "So soon?!"

Although she knew Ethan's sudden return meant business, setting a wedding date right away was far beyond her expectations. She thought they would at least wait a year or two.

"You think that's fast?" Eleanor glanced at her. "Ethan is exceptionally capable, and he's the sole heir to the Fenghang Empire. If you don't take this seriously, watch out before someone else snatches him away."

Realizing she had reacted a bit too strongly, Daisy cleared her throat softly: "Mmh... I understand."

—

Truth be told, Eleanor couldn't be blamed for valuing this marriage alliance so heavily.

While there was no shortage of ultra-wealthy dynasties in North City, Fenghang Group stood in a legendary class of its own.

Starting in real estate, Fenghang had swept through financial services, technology, luxury hospitality, and tourism with astronomical capital. Now prosperous across three generations, its commercial empire spanned globally.

Old Patriarch Vance, who built this legendary empire, had relocated overseas fifteen years ago. The local Vance family maintained a quiet, low-profile existence—to outsiders, they were a deeply mysterious supreme power.

With such a formidable background, paired with Ethan's striking good looks and dual degrees in Law and Economics from Harvard, he was indisputably the number one most coveted bachelor on North City's marriage market.

As for why Daisy had stood out among countless socialites to be chosen early on by Patriarch Vance as his future granddaughter-in-law, a key reason was that her own grandfather had once done him a life-saving favor.

Daisy suddenly remembered something: "By the way, who actually decided on the June wedding date?"

"Who else? Patriarch Vance called your grandfather personally. Ethan has already solidified his position on the board of directors, and at twenty-seven, it's time he settled down."

Since it was decided by the Vance family, Daisy had no room to resist. This was an arrangement she had accepted since her high school days.

Besides, she and Ethan weren't strangers.

Ethan's parents had passed away early, so he was raised by his uncle, the former CEO of Fenghang Capital. Thus, he grew up in North City and even attended the same high school as Daisy.

—

The next day, Daisy's grandfather hosted a family banquet—primarily, of course, to welcome Ethan back.

Daisy had intended to keep things politely distant and strictly superficial, but she hadn't expected Ethan to be so deeply invested in his role.

Sitting right beside her, he acted like the absolute model fiancé—pouring her wine, passing her napkins, and attending to her every need with refined perfection.

The more Eleanor watched, the happier she grew, smiling warmly: "Ethan has become so attentive and caring. Our Daisy is truly fortunate."

Ethan smiled faintly: "Not at all. Being able to marry Daisy is my true good fortune."

Daisy's chopsticks trembled mid-air as she held a scallop.

Did this guy major in acting while he was abroad? How is he this good at faking it?!

Then again, he was already an expert pretender back in high school. No matter how much he disliked her in private, he had always been flawlessly polite and dutiful in front of the elders.

Nine years later, he hadn't changed one bit.

Chapter 3: An Invitation for a Date

Daisy had no intention of engaging in mutual corporate flattery with Ethan, only offering a faint smile.

Mrs. Lee stepped in to smooth things over: "Daisy is good in every way; she's just a bit too shy. She's usually gentle and quiet by nature, and since she hasn't seen you in so long, she might just be feeling a little distant."

Whether Mrs. Lee genuinely believed this or was blatantly twisting the facts, Daisy felt a wave of embarrassment.

She silently lowered her head, biting her lip as if she really were somewhat timid and shy.

"It doesn't matter, it's because I've been away for too long," Ethan looked at her warmly. "We'll have plenty of time ahead to get to know each other slowly."

Daisy: "..."

Was Ethan a rising corporate tycoon or a dark horse in the film industry? How was he able to create such a deeply affectionate atmosphere even without her cooperation?

---

The Fu family and Fenghang Empire currently shared a joint tourism development project, so after dinner, business matters inevitably came up.

After listening for a while, Daisy found an excuse to step outside for fresh air.

The weather had been poor over the last two days; the courtyard was pitch-black, with a light drizzle fine as mist floating through the air.

She stood beneath the corridor eaves for a while, her thoughts gradually drifting away.

Unlike her current mindset, back in high school when she first learned about their betrothal, she had actually felt a small flutter of excitement in her heart.

Who was Ethan Vance? He was the president of the student council, the exemplary student who was always giving speeches under the national flag—the literal embodiment of a "favored son of heaven."

Not to mention, he had held the title of school heartthrob for three consecutive years at the affiliated high school. Girls had even gotten into private physical fights over him—the kind involving hair-pulling and scratching.

Forget getting married—even just dating him would make any young girl's vanity explode.

Daisy, of course, was no exception.

Back then, Ethan had been like an iceberg: concise with words, indifference written across his expression. Girls loved him, yet feared him.

Only she, leveraging her identity as his fiancée, constantly poked and provoked him.

For instance, she would deliberately skip wearing her school uniform or intentionally break school rules just to wait for him to come search for her with a cold face. However, once she did it too many times, the trick lost its charm.

Daisy had grown up showered in praise and indulgence; it was her very first time being ignored like this by anyone.

The more indifferent and aloof he acted, the more she wanted to see what kind of person lay beneath his cold, dignified facade.

By the end, the whole school knew that Ethan Vance had a drop-dead gorgeous and outrageously arrogant fiancée.

Then came a day when Ethan actually became willing to speak to her. Though in Daisy's eyes, he might as well have kept quiet.

For example, one day he was reading a book in the classroom when Daisy pushed open the door and entered.

She sat opposite him, resting her chin on one hand, a smile curling on her lips as she gazed at him without uttering a word.

Ethan paid her no mind, completely absorbed in his reading.

Unable to endure it for more than a few seconds, she pouted indignantly to assert her presence: "Why do you always act like you're being harassed?"

He slowly raised his eyelids and calmly countered: "Aren't I?"

"So what if you are?" Daisy declared, completely brazen and righteous. "You're my fiancé—what's wrong with getting a little harassed? Besides, I'm so pretty, it's not like you're taking a loss."

Ethan glanced at her, rendered unusually speechless.

...

Of course, in the end, nothing ever developed between them.

The year Daisy was about to start her second year of high school, Ethan graduated his senior year and went straight abroad.

---

Whether those hazy, teasing interactions during adolescence had been genuine affection was no longer clear.

The only thing clear was that over the past nine years, she had felt profound, deep regret, convinced that she must have been out of her mind back then to ever try getting close to him.

Originally, as all those years passed, those memories had faded considerably.

Yet the culprit, Ethan, had suddenly returned home, causing those embarrassing histories that were supposed to be safely buried underground to jump back up one after another, making her wish she could suffer instant amnesia.

Then again, after all these years, Daisy had assumed Ethan had long since indulged himself abroad and forgotten his roots. Who would have thought he'd actually return all alone to fulfill a marriage agreement... Could it be that his popularity on the dating market was just that terrible?

As her mind wandered aimlessly, Daisy suddenly heard footsteps behind her. Turning her head, she saw the last person she wanted to see tonight.

Over his crisp white shirt, the man wore a sharp black suit jacket with every button impeccably fastened, making him look all the more noble and sophisticated.

Their eyes met; saying nothing at all would feel awkwardly out of place.

Daisy offered him a polite smile, tossing out a conventional greeting: "Brother Ethan, long time no see."

Ethan ranked fourth among the younger generation of the Vance family, so many men and women called him "Brother Ethan"—even people who weren't close to him used it to act familiar.

Back in her school days, to display her own uniqueness, Daisy had always called him directly by his full name.

Now, she too had switched to calling him "Brother Ethan."

Ethan raised an eyebrow slightly, his voice deep and magnetic with the alluring charm of a mature man: "Didn't we just meet at the pub?"

He was blatantly calling her out.

Back in school, Daisy hadn't quite liked his "don't try to put on a show in front of me" attitude. It was only later, knowing she was his fiancée, that those grievances had been filtered away by a rose-tinted lens.

Now that the lens was completely shattered into pieces, Daisy found herself disliking it all over again.

—She didn't want Ethan thinking for a single second that she hadn't changed at all.

Though her mind was racing with a thousand thoughts, Daisy put on a look of genuine confusion, as if she truly didn't understand: "What?"

A few seconds of quiet passed.

Ethan shifted his gaze away from her, looking out toward the distant lake surface, and said calmly: "Nothing. I must have misremembered."

Daisy let out a subtle sigh of relief.

It seemed he had only been testing her.

Then again, her makeup at the pub that day had been a retro partying look, whereas today she wore a delicate bare-face look. It was only natural for someone not to recognize her after nine whole years apart.

Just as she was thinking this, Ethan's unhurried voice sounded once more, sounding like nothing more than casual small talk: "However, you never used to act reserved in front of me. Isn't it a bit too late to start acting now?"

* Excuse me?*

*Do you even know how to hold a conversation?!*

*What do you mean 'acting'? What do you mean 'never reserved'?! Was she really that unreserved back then?!*

The moment her indignation rose, memories flashed through her mind. Daisy felt guilty for a split second before hurriedly snuffing out the little train traveling down memory lane.

Following his lead, the smile on her face never faltered: "People's personalities naturally change over time. As you said, that was in the past... It's been nine years, hasn't it?"

Pausing briefly, she added with light casualness: "It was so long ago that I barely remember anything from back then."

Between the lines, she was subtly reminding him: *I'm not acting—I've truly forgotten every single thing.*

*What? 'Pursued' you?*

*So sorry, can't remember that at all. :)*

Ethan let out a soft chuckle, perfectly catching the underlying message beneath her words.

He didn't harbor any particular thoughts about it, only feeling that after nine years, she seemed even more amusing than before.

Just as Daisy was calculating what excuse to use to take her leave, she heard Ethan ask: "Are you free tomorrow?"

Daisy: "For what?"

"A date." He stated the words as if they were the most natural thing in the world, casting a calm glance over at her.

Daisy silently drew a massive question mark in her heart.

*Why was he already scheduling dates?!*

*Weren't they in a forced marriage of convenience? To put it bluntly, since when did a business arrangement require cultivating romantic feelings?!*

*Wait... why did she just compare herself to livestock?* Daisy promptly extinguished that dangerous thought and offered an apologetic tone: "I have a few things to attend to tomorrow."

"Then the day after tomorrow," he compromised easily after glancing at her.

Daisy: "..."

It seemed that whether it was early or late, a date was inevitable.

"The day after tomorrow... I'm not free either," she made one final valiant struggle.

"Daisy," Ethan seemed to catch on, "Are you unwilling?"

Daisy was almost laughed out of frustration by his question.

Listen to him—was he some kind of peerless, irreplaceable man that every woman alive had to be eager to date him?

Suppressing her inner complaints, she gathered her thoughts before speaking softly and sweetly: "No, it's just that I know you're very busy... with so many corporate matters to attend to, I was afraid of wasting your time."

"It's not a waste," Ethan said.

As if casually, he took a step toward her.

The man possessed a tall, imposing stature, and even though that single step didn't close the distance by much, it still brought an overwhelming sense of pressure.

Daisy instinctively took a step back, but he was one step ahead, extending a hand to clasp her wrist with his long, slender fingers.

He bent down slowly, his shadow completely enveloping her.

*Was he going to... kiss her?!*

*What was this man thinking? He couldn't just take advantage of her simply because they had a marriage agreement!*

Daisy couldn't care about anything else now. She turned around to run, only to be pulled back by him in an instant, nearly crashing right into his chest.

In that fleeting moment, he had already leaned close to her ear, his voice laced with a faint, amused smile:

"Besides, you're so pretty—it's not like I'm taking a loss."