The air reeked of blood.
I jolted awake, heart hammering against my ribs.
Where am I?!
The sound of chanting filled my ears, a sea of cold, hostile voices screaming for blood. Torches flickered in the night air, casting jagged shadows over a massive, open plaza.
And I was in the center.
Chained. Kneeling. A thick iron collar around my neck.
"This demon Omega dares to betray President Shen—kill him!"
I stared blankly at the sea of faces glaring at me. Thousands of them. Rage, disgust, bloodlust—every pair of eyes burned into my skin like fire.
Wait… Omega? President Shen? Who the hell…
I looked down.
The body tied to the platform wasn't mine. Pale wrists, slender legs, and a fine silk robe drenched in dirt and blood.
I wasn't me.
My head spun violently. The last thing I remembered was a screech of tires and blinding headlights—then darkness.
Did I… die?
And now, I was in someone else's body?
"Lin Yue!"
The roar split the air.
The crowd parted.
A man strode toward me, and for a terrifying moment, I forgot how to breathe.
He was tall. Cold. Beautiful in a way that made your heart skip a beat. Broad shoulders under a tailored black coat, obsidian-black hair slicked back to reveal a sharp jawline and eyes darker than the abyss itself.
But those eyes held nothing but hatred as they pinned me in place.
"Do you have any last words?" His voice was low, calm—the kind of calm that came right before a blade severed your throat.
I blinked at him.
Last words?
"What—"
A guard kicked me in the back, forcing me to bow my head.
"Speak, traitor!"
The crowd screamed, voices merging into a single vicious chant.
Traitor. Traitor. Traitor.
The man's hand rested on the hilt of a gleaming sword at his waist. He unsheathed it in one smooth motion. The sound of steel cutting the air was deafening.
My body locked in terror.
He was going to kill me.
"Wait—" I croaked. "I think you have the wrong—"
Cold steel pressed against my throat.
I froze, every nerve screaming.
He leaned down until I could feel the heat of his breath against my ear.
"Lin Yue," he said softly, almost like a lover whispering your name. "After everything you've done… this is where you die."
The crowd erupted in cheers.
My heart nearly burst out of my chest. I'm not Lin Yue! I wanted to scream, but my voice wouldn't come out.
The blade rose.
I squeezed my eyes shut, waiting for the fatal strike—
—but instead of my head rolling, the chains around my wrists and ankles snapped apart with a single, decisive slash.
I gasped, tumbling forward.
The world went silent.
The man caught my chin in a bruising grip, forcing me to look up at him.
My breath caught at the raw violence simmering in his eyes.
"You thought you could escape me that easily?" His voice was soft, mocking, terrifying.
I opened my mouth, but he didn't give me a chance to speak.
He leaned in, his lips brushing the shell of my ear as he whispered:
"You're mine now."
Before I could react, he dragged me to my feet and yanked me into the crowd.
The mob exploded in outrage, screaming for my blood. Guards tried to follow, but a single glare from him froze them in place.
My legs stumbled against the weight of the chains. "W-Wait! Where are you—"
"Shut up." His grip tightened around my wrist like a steel shackle.
I staggered after him, my mind spinning.
Who was this man? Why didn't he kill me?
And why… why did his touch burn my skin like fire?
We reached a sleek black car waiting in the shadows. He shoved me inside without ceremony.
I crashed onto the leather seat, heart pounding as the doors slammed shut and the engine roared to life.
He slid in beside me, closing the distance between us. I shrank back instinctively, pressing myself against the window.
"Wh-What do you want from me?"
He didn't answer. His obsidian eyes bored into mine, unblinking.
"Please," I whispered, "I don't know who you think I am, but—"
His hand shot out, gripping my chin once more, forcing me to meet his gaze.
"I know exactly who you are," he said quietly. "And you're not going anywhere, Lin Yue."
My pulse thundered in my ears.
"I-I'm not Lin Yue!"
A cruel smile curved his lips.
"Then why," he murmured, brushing a thumb over my pounding pulse, "does my curse say otherwise?"
I froze. "...Curse?"
He leaned closer, close enough that I could see the flecks of gold hidden in his black irises.
"Yes," he whispered. "You cursed me, and now we're bound. If I die, you die."
I stared at him in disbelief, but his next words shattered me completely.
"And if you try to run…"
His eyes glinted like a predator cornering prey.
"…I'll make sure you regret ever being born."
**********
The car sped through the city like a bullet, headlights slicing through the darkness.
I sat frozen in the leather seat, chains clinking softly around my wrists and ankles. My heart pounded so loud I swore the man beside me could hear it.
He hadn't said a word since threatening me.
I stole a glance at him.
Tall, broad shoulders, every inch of him radiating quiet, lethal control. His sharp jawline was set in stone, his eyes fixed on the passing city lights like he owned the entire world.
I opened my mouth, then closed it again. My throat was dry.
Calm down. You just have to explain. Convince him this is a mistake.
But when I tried to speak, my voice cracked.
"I-I'm not Lin Yue," I whispered.
His gaze flicked toward me. Cold. Unbelieving.
"Do you think I'm an idiot?"
I flinched at the bite in his tone. "No! I'm serious! I don't even know who Lin Yue is—"
"Shut up."
The command sliced through me. I clamped my mouth shut.
For a few minutes, the only sound was the low hum of the engine.
Then—
Bang!
The car hit a bump, and I instinctively scooted as far from him as possible.
The moment my shoulder brushed the door, white-hot pain exploded through my entire body.
"AH—!"
I collapsed against the seat, convulsing. It felt like my veins were on fire, my heart ripping out of my chest.
I dimly heard a strangled gasp beside me—
He was clutching his chest too, his face twisting in pain.
"No—!" he growled, seizing my arm and yanking me toward him.
The second our bodies touched, the pain stopped.
I gasped for breath, shaking uncontrollably.
"What… what was that?"
He dragged me onto his lap, holding me in a grip so tight I could barely breathe. His voice was a low snarl against my ear.
"The curse," he hissed. "Did you think I was joking?"
I stared at him in horror. "You—you weren't lying?"
"Try to run again," he said coldly, "and we'll both die. Do you understand?"
My voice trembled. "I… I don't…"
He shoved my face up so I'd meet his eyes.
"Listen carefully," he said. "This curse ties your life to mine. If I die, you die. If you're more than a hundred meters from me for too long—"
I remembered the agony. My stomach turned.
"You'll wish you were dead," he finished.
I stared at him, unable to speak.
What kind of nightmare had I fallen into?
The car slowed, pulling into a private underground garage. He shoved open the door and dragged me out.
"Where are you taking me?" I croaked.
"To the only place you're allowed to be," he said.
We stepped into a private elevator. He pushed me against the mirrored wall, one arm braced beside my head.
I tried to shrink away, but his hand shot out, pinning my chin.
"You're mine now, Lin Yue," he said softly, almost gently—but the ice in his eyes told a different story.
"Until I break this curse, you'll stay by my side every second of every day. If you even think about running—"
He leaned closer, close enough that I felt the warmth of his breath on my lips.
"I'll kill you myself."
The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime.
A luxurious penthouse stretched before us, floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the glittering city.
He released me, stepping past like he didn't even care if I followed.
But the invisible pull of the curse dragged me forward, chains rattling softly with each step.
My knees nearly buckled.
This wasn't freedom.
This was a gilded prison.
And the man holding the keys?
The one who hated me enough to kill me, but was cursed enough to keep me alive?
I didn't even know his name.
But as he turned back, dark eyes gleaming in the dim light, I felt a chill crawl up my spine.
"From now on," he said quietly, "you'll obey every order I give you, Lin Yue. Do you understand?"
I swallowed hard. "…Yes."
A cruel smile curved his lips.
"Good."
---
As he walked away, I collapsed onto the couch, trembling. My hand brushed against something wedged between the cushions—
a torn piece of paper.
In rushed, shaky handwriting, it read:
"I was innocent. Find the truth before it's too late."
My breath caught.
Who… who left this here?
And what did they mean by innocent?