"What have I done…" Oska muttered as he stepped into Stevanie's luxurious mansion — now, his new home.
Their wedding had been absurdly fast — a private ceremony that afternoon, witnessed only by Mr. Han and a little girl. And now, before he could even process the madness, he was officially her husband.
The moment they entered the mansion, a small voice startled him.
"Who's this man?" a little girl asked, clinging to Stevanie's leg.
"This is your new dad," Stevanie replied calmly. "Annchi, greet him."
The girl looked up, her big eyes sharp and far too mature for her age. She leaned close to Oska and whispered, "Run while you still can." Then, without another word, she dashed to her room.
Oska froze. Did she say earlier she has never been married before?What kind of family did I just marry into?
He turned his attention to the mansion — chandeliers covered in dust, marble floors dulled by neglect.
"This place looks abandoned," he muttered.
Stevanie crossed her arms, her heels clicking softly on the marble floor. "Then make it shine again."
"Wait, what?"
"You're my husband now. That means you take care of the house. You wanted a job, didn't you? Consider this your first assignment."
"You can't be serious. Don't you have a maid—"
Splat!
"Argh!!!"
Stevanie suddenly whipped Oska with her belt. The man screamed as he rolled around in pain on the floor.
"What are you doing?!"
Stevanie looked down at her husband's tear-stained face while smiling like a madman, "did it hurt?"
Oska was about to respond, but when he saw his wife's beautiful face transform into a monster, he swallowed his words and fell silent.
"Didn't you read the contract? I am your boss, your employer, your master, and you are my paid slave. In other words, my husband."
"A husband shouldn't be treated like a slave!"
"Hahaha!" The woman burst out laughing like a maniac, "I just love seeing your face like that."
Fear etched across Oska's face, his chest tightening and his body shaking as the reality of his situation hit him. "Are you going to kill me?" he asked, his voice trembling.
Stevanie's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about? I'm not crazy. I'm just going to keep hurting you until you do everything I want. And right now, I want this house clean. Is that clear?"
Oska nodded, trembling.
"Good," Stevanie said coldly. "I don't care if you're angry or upset. You don't want to be treated like a slave? Then give me back the money I paid you. If you can't, we'll continue living like this, day by day, as husband and wife. Have I made myself clear? Then, get your ass up and clean this house, Now!"
Oska stared at her, mouth agape. He wanted to argue, but one cold glare from her made him freeze. Finally he took a broom and started cleaning the house.
Hours passed.
By sunset, he'd cleaned the living room, the grand hall, and what felt like a dozen bedrooms. Every muscle in his body screamed in protest. Sweat soaked his shirt, but the mansion finally gleamed again.
He leaned against the wall, panting. "What a day. At least I'm finally done."
From upstairs, Stevanie's voice echoed through the hall.
"Not yet. The dishes in the kitchen are still waiting."
He clenched his jaw. "You've got to be kidding me…"
"I don't repeat myself, Mr. Husband."
That tone — calm, emotionless, yet absolute — sent a chill down his spine. With a deep sigh, he dragged himself to the kitchen and began scrubbing.
After half an hour of scrubbing dirty dishes, Oska finally completed all the tasks assigned by his demanding wife. It was time for him to clean up.
Under the stinging hot water of the shower, the scars from Stevanie's whipping still hurt like hell when they hit the water. But the emotional pain cut deeper. Oska was left lamenting his fate, bewildered by how he had ended up making a deal with someone as crazy as Stevanie.
"So this is what Annchi meant when she whispered to me earlier today," Oska chuckled bitterly, reflecting on the insanity of the day.
Once he had finished his shower, Oska prepared for bed. When he finally entered the bedroom, Stevanie was already asleep. The moonlight painted her face in silver — beautiful, cold, untouchable.
Oska hesitated. "We're married. I guess it's fine if I sleep here too."
He moved as quietly as possible, sliding onto the mattress and inching closer to her sleeping form. Just as he settled in, Stevanie's eyes fluttered open.
The moment he sat on the edge of the bed, her eyes snapped open.
"Arrggg!!!" She yelled, "What are you doing here? Get out of my room!"
He blinked. "Isn't it natural for husbands and wives to sleep together?"
"You must've misunderstood our arrangement," she said sharply, sitting up. "This marriage is a contract, not a romance. You're not my real husband, I repeat, NOT MY REAL HUSBAND. Our real relationship is boss and servant. You are my slave."
"Alright, I'm done! I've been holding it in since this afternoon, but I can't take it anymore!" Oska exclaimed, his voice strained. "If this is what it means to be your husband, I can't do it."
"So what?" Stevanie replied coldly. "Our marriage was never about love. You signed the contract. If you want to break our agreement, it'll cost you a fortune, and I'm not sure you can afford it. If you choose to leave, I won't stop you. But you'll leave empty-handed—your belongings and money will be mine."
"What? Why is that?"
"Read the contract," Stevanie said with a smirk. "All your assets and possessions are jointly owned with me. That means I have rights to everything you own. Even the clothes you're wearing now—if I wanted to, I could take those too."
"You've really lost your mind. No wonder you've been a widow all this time, no one can stand your crazy attitude, am I right? Your previous husband must have run away because he couldn't stand being treated by a crazy psychopath like you."
Plak!
Stevanie slapped Oska on the right cheek. Her eyes burned with emotion this time.
"Don't you ever call me a widow. Don't you ever think you have any rights over me! You're just an outsider! A clumsy and foolish person, who has nothing. And you dare to say such things to me? Get over yourself you filthy scum!"
Oska lowered his face. The woman took a step back until she was leaning against the wall in fear of the terrifying aura that Oska gave off. He clenched his fists until they trembled with emotion as he walked closer to Stevanie.