Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I leaned back against the backrest of my swivel chair and massaged my temples. I feel so tired and exhausted, yet I can't sleep. All I can do is close my eyes. No matter what I try, sleep just won't come.

The only sounds in the room were the hum of the air conditioner and my deep, continuous sighs. After a while, the glass door opened and closed. I turned to look in that direction.

Tina came in carrying a tray with two cups of coffee. "Are you even getting any sleep? You look awful, girl," she remarked as she placed the coffee in front of me, then casually sat on the sofa near my desk.

I picked up one of the cups and took a small sip. The warm drink soothed my throat.

"I stayed at the hospital all night. I only went home earlier to shower and change," I said, taking another sip.

Tina let out a deep sigh and scratched the back of her neck slightly. "Look, Tracy, it’s been three months. Up until now, the doctors still haven’t provided an accurate diagnosis. You’ve been to four hospitals, and none of them found anything wrong with Rouge’s body to explain this. Why don’t you just consider—"

"I can’t," I cut her off. "For heaven’s sake, it’s freaking 2017. They’re no longer savages, Ti. It’s impossible." I leaned back in my swivel chair again and rubbed my temples. This topic really stressed me out.

The sound of Tina’s heels echoed in the closed room as she approached my desk and sat on the chair in front of it.

"We can’t be sure of that. After all, they’re still at the top of the food chain. Wild, aggressive, born with a killer instinct," she said, gesturing animatedly with her hands.

I shook my head. That idea was just impossible.

I’m trying my best to keep the thought out of my mind. It can’t be. It’s been years, and nothing like this has ever happened until now. If their side were really responsible, there should’ve been a meeting between the hunters and lycans on the day of the incident, but there wasn’t. It’s as if nothing happened. Even the head hunters didn’t intervene in the issue. They didn’t believe that lycans attacked Rouge’s group. Moreover, the three other members of the group and the two guides couldn’t corroborate my father’s claim about what he saw attacking them.

"It’s been two decades, Tina. Don’t you think they’ve mastered self-control by now?"

She pouted and crossed her arms. "You said it yourself. It’s been two decades. A lot has happened since then. What if some of them got tired of following the agreement? I’m not saying it’s all of them, but it’s impossible that there are no rebels. Every family has a black sheep."

She grabbed my laptop and started typing on the keyboard. I let her do her thing. After a while, she placed it back on the desk and turned the screen toward me.

"Just in case you hit your head and decide to consider my theory, here. I’m sure this is the person you’ll need. He’s the new Alpha," she said, winking and flashing a sweet smile before leaving my office.

I was left with nothing to do but sigh.

I glanced down at the laptop screen and froze for a moment when I saw the page Tina had pulled up.

Levireigh Grimmerson – Successor of Grimmerson Corporation. The last heir from the original ruler family.

The screen displayed a photo of a man in a three-layer suit. His expression was serious, yet his eyes seemed to smile. His perfect jawline, deep-set royal blue eyes, manly and intimidating brows, narrow, pointy nose, and sexy reddish lips screamed perfection. He looked like a Hollywood actor.

I scrolled through the page until a video caught my attention.

The caption read: Levireigh Grimmerson awarded as top 3 richest bachelor in the country.

Out of curiosity, I played the video.

I rested my chin on my hand as I watched. The emcee was announcing his background, and the crowd erupted in applause when his name was finally called.

My mouth slightly parted as a man stood up from the front seat and walked up the stage. The way he carried himself exuded sophistication and class. Every detail about him commanded respect. His every gaze was intimidating. I froze when he stared directly at the camera. A devilish half-smile curled on his lips.

My heart suddenly pounded faster than usual, like a horse in the middle of a race.

I swallowed hard and immediately closed the laptop. It felt like something crawled through my system. I leaned back on my swivel chair and stared at the white ceiling.

What the hell just happened to me? I don't know. I just freaked out from the way he looked... and smiled. That guy can only be described in three words: proud, bold... and dangerous.

---

"There’s still no progress. They still don’t know what caused him to become unconscious," said Reyn, Rouge’s brother.

I remained staring at him from the glass window of the ICU. I bit my lower lip to stop myself from crying. I was too tired to cry, too exhausted to feel anything worse.

"He had a seizure this morning right after you left. If this continues, we might lose my brother, Tracy," Reyn’s voice cracked. He weakly sank into the chair opposite the glass window.

I bit my lip harder. I tried so hard to compose myself, but when I glanced at the unconscious Rouge again, the tears I had been holding back finally fell.

I reached for the nearest chair for support as my knees gave out.

Reyn wiped the tears from his face. "I don’t know what to do anymore. Dad can’t come here because of his illness. I’m torn between them. I don’t know who to prioritize. Dad wants Rouge to be treated there."

I froze for a moment. My gaze shifted to Reyn, who stared blankly into space as tears continued to fall.

"W-what?" My voice was barely audible.

He didn’t respond immediately. He wiped his tears again before standing up and moving closer to the glass window. "If this goes on, we’ll have no choice but to take Rouge back to the States. The doctors here can’t even provide a proper explanation. Maybe if he gets treated there, the doctors can figure out what’s causing this."

My shoulders slumped completely. I couldn’t find the right words to say. I had no right to interfere. After all, they were still his immediate family, and we weren’t married yet. But if they took him there, I might never see him again.

I shut my eyes tightly and adjusted the strap of my bag on my shoulder before standing.

"I understand... but before you do that, please at least let me try my last resort." That was all I could say before I left him there.

I glanced back at Rouge one last time.

This is for you, hon. Hang in there.

---

I gripped the steering wheel tightly as I finally reached the Grimmerson Empire Building.

I let out a deep breath before stepping out of the car. Tilting my head back, I stared at the towering building in front of me. There was no doubt—I was in the right place. This place was a reflection of its owner’s stature in life.

My heart pounded furiously as I walked through the expansive and pristine hallway. Every detail, from the enormous glass doors to the gray carpet, exuded sophistication.

I swallowed hard and forced a smile at the receptionist. The red-haired lady responded with a sweet smile of her own. "Welcome to Grimmerson Corporation. How may I help you?"

My grip on the strap of my bag tightened. I can do this… This is for Rouge.

I widened my smile, composing myself before answering her.

"I’m here to see Mr. Levireigh Grimmerson… I am Tracy Florendale."

The receptionist seemed momentarily startled by what I said but managed a polite smile. "Just a sec. Please take a seat for a while."

I walked over to the couch in the lobby and watched as the receptionist made a phone call. I heard her mention my name. Moments later, she hung up and turned to me.

"Miss Florendale, follow me, please," she said with a smile. I nodded in response.

My heart pounded even faster as the elevator chimed, signaling that we’d reached the sixtieth floor—the executive floor. The entire floor was carpeted, and the atmosphere was undeniably prestigious. Expensive paintings by famous artists adorned the walls.

The receptionist stopped in front of a grand mahogany double door. She smiled sweetly before speaking. "You can come in now. He’s expecting you."

I forced a smile and nodded. Taking a deep breath, I straightened my posture. I smoothed the skirt of my dress before pushing the door open.

It felt like time stopped when I saw the man casually leaning against the edge of his presidential desk.

He was wearing a three-layer black suit paired with a gray necktie. His aura screamed power. His gaze was piercing and intimidating.

I swallowed hard and started walking toward him. The pounding of my heart was deafening. I had only taken a few steps when something unexpected happened.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Grim—woah!"

The heel of my stiletto caught on the carpet, causing me to stumble. I almost let out a scream in shock, but instead of crashing to the floor, I found myself caught in a pair of strong arms. He moved like the wind, quickly closing the distance to catch me.

My breath hitched as I stared into his striking blue eyes.

"Are you okay?" he asked in a husky tone.

My lips parted slightly, but I couldn’t bring myself to speak. All I managed was a small nod.

He helped me stand upright before letting me go. My face burned red as I sat in the chair opposite his desk. He walked back to his swivel chair, sitting down with a casual air. A devilish smirk played on his lips as his dazzling royal blue eyes scanned me.

"Next time you come here, wear flats. Girls always trip whenever they see me," he said arrogantly, locking eyes with mine. The smirk on his face slowly turned into a meaningful smile.

My jaw dropped at his remark.