Alina Shah had agreed to marry Victor Lison, but it wasn’t out of love or desire—it was out of necessity. The contract was clear: two years of marriage, and then she would regain control over her life, free from the chains of family expectations. Victor, a man with a mysterious past, had agreed to the arrangement without much protest. Alina, however, couldn't shake the feeling that there was something about him that lingered in her mind, something she couldn’t quite place.

For the past few days, Alina had thrown herself into her work. Her company, a successful fashion design empire, required her full attention, especially as a major collection launch was fast approaching. Alina was an expert at compartmentalizing her emotions, but every now and then, her thoughts would stray back to Victor. What was it about him that made her heart race, even when she didn’t want it to?

When she finally finished her work and prepared to head home, a familiar, irritating voice pulled her from her thoughts. Alina turned around to see Lion Pakar, a man she had known all too well. Tall, handsome, and with a charm that could make any woman swoon, Lion was a notorious playboy. And yet, there was something about him that always seemed to get under her skin.

"Alina," he said, his voice smooth as velvet. "I’ve been meaning to talk to you."

Alina couldn’t hide the annoyance on her face. She was tired, worn out from the day’s work, and just wanted to go home. "What is it, Lion?" she replied, her tone clipped, her gaze icy.

Lion seemed undeterred by her coldness. "I miss you," he continued, his eyes softening. "It’s been so long since we’ve had a proper conversation. We should go out for dinner tonight."

Alina raised an eyebrow. Dinner? With him? The thought was almost laughable. "We’re married, remember? Isn’t that enough?" she said, her voice tinged with sarcasm.

Lion didn’t seem to mind her biting tone. Instead, he leaned in slightly, his gaze intense. "We’ve been married for months, but we haven’t spent nearly enough time together. I think it’s time we do."

The words felt like a slap to Alina’s face. She had married Victor out of necessity, not because she wanted to, and now here was Lion, talking as if he could replace her husband. Her gaze flicked over him—his designer shirt had a lipstick mark on it. Typical. Lion had never been anything but a playboy, and she knew better than to fall for his charm.

"You think I’d leave my husband for you?" Alina asked, her voice a mixture of disbelief and contempt. "You’re wasting your time, Lion. Go find another woman to entertain. I’m not interested." She turned on her heel and started to walk away.

But Lion wasn’t finished. He called out to her, his voice a mix of frustration and challenge. "You know, you could still choose me. Victor is nothing but a placeholder. He’s not the man you need."

Alina felt a flicker of irritation flare within her. She turned to face him one last time. "Don’t ever bring up my marriage again, Lion," she warned, her voice cold as ice. "I don’t care what you think about it. I chose Victor. Not you."

She walked away, leaving Lion standing there, his face a mask of disbelief and anger. For a moment, Alina felt a strange satisfaction in rejecting him. No one had ever dared to do that before. But as she reached the parking lot, her mind wandered back to Victor. Why did the thought of him unsettle her so much?