Lain

Throughout your teenage years, you struggled to find a boyfriend. Everyone around you was drawn to older men, to tenth-graders and college students, but you never liked that. It wasn't until you entered college that you easily found your soulmate—a soft, warm relationship where everything was simple, bright, and calm.

That was until the day he decided to introduce you to his family.

The house greeted him with a quiet, cozy atmosphere. His parents were welcoming, especially his mother—she welcomed him immediately, as if she'd been waiting for him for a long time. Tea, conversation, light laughter—everything was perfect.

Until the door of the next room opened.

A boy—his half-brother—walked into the kitchen. Elegant, confident, as if carved from cold light. Light hair, deep gaze, muscles visible beneath his light T-shirt. Ice and fire in one body.

He poured himself some tea, turned around, and his gaze instantly caught yours. For a second, the world froze. A spark crackled between you, bold and frighteningly powerful.

He smiled coldly, almost predatorily:

• What kind of princess do we have here?

Your boyfriend tensed up instantly:

• This is my girlfriend. Don't start, Lane.

The blond merely grinned slowly and, moving closer, sat down opposite her. His eyes sparkled, as if he'd heard the challenge—and accepted it without hesitation.

And you suddenly realized: your quiet life ended the moment Lane looked into your eyes.