The Billionaire’s Paper Wife: His Obsession Has No Cure

eThe white lace of the wedding dress felt like a shroud against Seraphina's skin. It was the night before the most important day of her life, and she was supposed to be the happiest woman in North City. Instead, she stood frozen in the dim hallway of the Grand Imperial Hotel, a velvet jewelry box clutched in her trembling hands.Inside the box was a vintage Patek Philippe, a gift for her fiancé, Jason. She had spent her entire inheritance from her mother to buy it. She wanted to show him that despite her timid nature, she was ready to be his devoted wife.But the sounds coming from Suite 808 weren't the sounds of a man resting before his big day."Oh, Jason... harder... right there!"The voice was high-pitched and familiar. It was a voice that had mocked Seraphina since she was six years old."You're so much better than that boring mouse," Jason's voice groaned, thick with lust. "I can't believe I have to stand at the altar with her tomorrow. Just thinking about touching her makes me feel like I'm doing charity work.""Then don't touch her," Tiffany, Seraphina's stepsister, giggled. "Just take the 10% company shares her father promised you as a dowry. Once the papers are signed, we can ship her off to the countryside and live on her money.""You're a genius, baby," Jason grunted. "Now, come here..."Seraphina felt the world tilt. The jewelry box slipped from her numb fingers, hitting the thick carpet with a dull thud. She didn't burst in. She didn't scream. Her life had been a series of being pushed, bullied, and ignored—she didn't even have the strength to fight for a man who didn't want her.With tears blinding her vision, she turned and fled. She ran past the elevators, down the stairs, and straight into the hotel's "Blue Moon" bar."Give me something... strong," she whispered to the bartender, her voice cracking.She was the "timid" Seraphina Lin. She was the girl who apologized to the floor when she tripped. But tonight, as the burning liquid of her fourth whiskey hit her throat, something inside her snapped. If she was going to be ruined tomorrow, she would at least choose how she was ruined tonight.A few tables away, the air was heavy with a different kind of tension.Alexander Thorne, the CEO of Thorne International, sat in a corner booth, his knuckles white as he gripped his glass of water. His vision was blurring into a kaleidoscope of heat.The bitch actually did it, he thought, his teeth grinding together.Sarah, a socialite who had been stalking him for months, had been too smug at dinner. She had drugged his wine. He could feel the aphrodisiac clawing through his veins, a synthetic fire that demanded release. He needed to get to his penthouse, but his legs felt like lead.Just as he tried to stand, a scent hit him.It wasn't the heavy, artificial perfume Sarah wore. It was something ethereal—the scent of rain-washed lilies and cold ozone.He looked up and saw a girl swaying on her feet. She was wearing a white dress that looked like a wedding gown, her eyes red-rimmed and full of a haunting, beautiful despair. To anyone else, she looked like a mess. To Alexander, whose brain was screaming for an antidote to the drug, she looked like salvation."Are you... okay?" Seraphina stammered, reaching out to steady herself against the table. Her hand brushed Alexander's arm.The contact was electric.Alexander let out a low, animalistic growl. He didn't think; he reacted. He reached out, his large hand wrapping around her waist, pulling her flush against his burning body."You shouldn't have touched me, little bird," he hissed, his voice a dangerous, vibrating baritone.Seraphina looked into his eyes—piercing, icy blue depths that were now clouded with a primal hunger. She knew who he was. Everyone knew the "Tyrant of North City." Ordinarily, she would have run. But tonight, she wanted to be destroyed. She wanted to erase the memory of Jason's betrayal with a fire so hot it would leave nothing but ash."Take me upstairs," she whispered, her voice trembling but certain. "Please. Just... make me forget."Alexander didn't need to be told twice. He swept her into his arms, his grip possessive and terrifyingly strong. He didn't care who she was. He only knew that he needed her, and she was offering herself up like a sacrifice.The door to the VIP penthouse slammed shut, and Alexander pinned her against it instantly.The room was dark, lit only by the city lights outside. He didn't waste time with words. His mouth crashed onto hers in a kiss that tasted of whiskey and desperation. Seraphina's head spun. She had never been kissed like this—as if she were the only thing that mattered in the world.He carried her to the bed, his movements frantic as the drug reached its peak. But as he stripped away the white lace of her dress, he paused.Underneath the silk, she was shivering. Not with cold, but with a raw, untouched innocence."Is this your first time?" he rasped, his forehead resting against hers.Seraphina swallowed hard, her eyes filling with fresh tears. "Yes. And I want it to be you. Not him. Never him."The revelation that she was a virgin hit Alexander like a physical blow, temporarily clearing the drug-induced fog. A strange, dark sense of pride swelled in his chest. This girl—this beautiful, broken creature—was giving him her most precious secret."I'll be gentle," he vowed, his voice dropping to a low, possessive whisper. "But I won't let you go. From tonight, you are mine."The night became a blur of pain and pleasure. When the moment of truth came, Seraphina let out a sharp cry, her fingers digging deep into the hard muscles of Alexander's shoulders. He froze, his heart hammering as he felt the evidence of her purity.He waited, kissing her eyelids and whispering low, soothing words until she relaxed beneath him. Then, he began to move, a slow, rhythmic dance that turned her fear into a soaring, breathless heat. He worshipped her body as if it were a temple, tracing every curve with a reverence she had never known.For the first time in her life, the timid Seraphina felt seen.The Next MorningSeraphina woke to the sound of a heavy rain hitting the window.She shifted, her body aching with a new, strange soreness. She looked down at the white sheets and saw the small, dried crimson stain. It was done. She was no longer the "pure" bride her father intended to sell.She looked at the man sleeping beside her. Alexander Thorne. Even in sleep, he looked lethal. His arm was draped over her waist, his fingers curled as if he were holding onto a prize he refused to lose.Panic suddenly flared in her chest. The wedding. The guests. Her grandmother's medical bills.She couldn't stay. If Alexander woke up and realized he had slept with a "nobody" like her, he might destroy her. And if her father found out she had spent the night with his biggest business rival, he would kill her.Trembling, she gathered her torn dress and her shoes. She found a wedding invitation in her purse and a pen on the nightstand. With shaking hands, she scribbled a note on the back of the card and left it on his pillow."Thank you. Goodbye."She fled the room like a ghost, her heart hammering. She had to get to the church. Not to get married, but to deliver a "gift" to Jason and Tiffany that they would never forget.Five minutes later, Alexander's eyes snapped open.The drug was gone, leaving him with a razor-sharp memory of the night. He reached out to pull the girl back into his arms, but he only met cold sheets.He sat up, his eyes scanning the empty room until they landed on the white card on his pillow. He picked it up, his gaze darkening as he read the words. Then, he flipped it over.The Wedding of Jason Miller and Seraphina Lin.A dark, predatory smile spread across his face. He looked at the blood on the sheets—the proof of her innocence—and his eyes turned to ice."You think you can just use me and leave, Seraphina?" he whispered to the empty room.He picked up his phone and dialed his assistant. "Ben. Track down the Lin family wedding. I'm going to a ceremony. And tell the lawyers to bring a marriage contract. I'm claiming a bride today."