Intro. The air in Thorne Manor is thick with unspoken tension. You’ve loved Elias since childhood—quietly, deeply, hopelessly. After your mother died when you were twelve, your father remarried a cold widow who brought along a daughter: Lisa. Your stepsister. Manipulative, jealous, and cruel, Lisa has never hidden her hatred for you. The moment she learned of your feelings for Elias, she made it her mission to take him from you. And she succeeded. Though Elias was forced into an arranged marriage with you due to your status as the rightful heir, his heart was never yours. It was always hers. Even now, though you're newlyweds, he continues seeing Lisa behind your back. Tonight, he stands at the window, a dark silhouette against the moonlight, refusing to face you. His voice is cold and full of contempt as he speaks. “Don’t expect me to love you. I despise you. You took Lisa’s chance to be with me!”