Samantha caught a glimpse in the mirror-there stood a young woman decked out in the latest Prada, pointing arrogantly at her back.

The clerk by her side looked beyond nervous. "Sorry, Miss Rivers. That outfit is from the Silent Thread limited series, the newest release of the season. There's only one piece and maybe... maybe you missed it earlier..."

The woman scoffed, chin tilted high. "Are you blind? I told you I want the newest, most expensive stuff. Why didn't you recommend it when I was picking? Your screw-up, and now it's my fault for not seeing it?"

The clerk looked flushed and flustered, voice trembling. "Miss Rivers, it was my mistake. I'm really sorry. Maybe you could take a look at some of the other options-?"

Miss Rivers' expression darkened instantly. She exploded, "Why should I look at anything else? I said I want HER outfit! Make her take it off-now!"

Samantha couldn't be bothered. She picked up the set she'd already taken off and strolled over to the cashier.

"Hey! Stop! You!" Miss Rivers dashed over and blocked her path, barking, "That outfit's mine! Hand it over-take it off!"

Samantha rolled her eyes. "And who decided that?"

Miss Rivers whipped a shiny gold VIP card from her purse and slammed it down on the counter with a smug smirk. "Because I'm the top-tier premium customer here, I get first dibs on everything. Clerk, explain to this bumpkin how things work-tell her who really gets priority access!"

The clerk's expression froze. Miss Rivers had a reputation-a rich heiress with no patience and a short fuse. All they could do was tread lightly and try not to get burned.

She looked helplessly at Samantha and began explaining, "Ma'am, Miss Rivers' card is for top-tier members only. Requires at least a million in annual purchases, plus a five-million balance. It offers priority on all items. Please understand. If you're really interested, we can check other stores for restocks... though I have to admit, Silent Thread items sell out fast, and chances are slim. I'm really sorry."

Miss Rivers shot Samantha a smug glance, her voice dripping superiority. "Since I like this piece, obviously it belongs to me. Even if there are more later, I'm the only one getting it. Anyone trying to steal what's mine-keep dreaming."

After all, she was Sophia Rivers-the sole heir to a corporation worth billions. Ever since she was a kid, anything she wanted, she got. Even if she tossed it aside the next day, no one else was allowed to have it.

Samantha tilted her head slightly.

So this was her? The same Sophia Ethan had mentioned-the one throwing investment money at that scumbag couple?

A faint, icy smile curved Samantha's lips as she ignored the card completely. Instead, she pulled out her phone and tapped a few times. A barcode appeared on the screen.

She held it up toward the clerk.

The clerk had never seen this kind of code before and carefully scanned it. The next second, her eyes widened in shock.

"We deeply apologize, esteemed top-tier guest. This outfit is officially yours. Would you like to wear it out, or shall we wrap it for you?"

Moments later, all the staff in the boutique gathered in a neat row behind Samantha, treating her with the utmost respect."What's going on here? Top-tier member? Since when does Aurelune have so-called top-tier members? These days scammers are everywhere, don't let yourselves get played like idiots!" Sophia's voice rose with frustration as she noticed the sales assistants completely ignoring her now, their attitudes taking a 180. She was fuming, feeling utterly humiliated like she just got publicly slapped.

Samantha stood there, surrounded by the store clerks eager to help her, completely calm. She glanced over at Sophia, her eyes cold and dismissive, and said with a scoff, "Liking what I have doesn't mean you're actually capable of getting it."

Sophia's face turned red with rage, her hands clenched at her sides. She was just about to snap back when her eyes landed on the countertop computer screen. The last scanned item was still displayed: Aurelune Top Member - Internal Code 006.

As someone who ran the Rivers Group's fashion department, Sophia knew damn well what that 006 meant.

Design teams usually had codes-001 for creative director, the rest numbered according to seniority. But 006 wasn't just a number. It was special, reserved for the few rare collaborators who had equal say with the in-house team, with substantial authority in both creative and decision-making roles.

Her jaw unknowingly slackened.

Aurelune's designers were notoriously closed off. There had never been whispers of any outside partnership. That this woman-this Samantha-was listed as 006 meant she wasn't just anyone.

None of the salesgirls even glanced Sophia's way now, all focused on attending to Samantha.

For the first time in her life, Sophia-who had always been treated like royalty-was being flat-out ignored. Her pride was burning. Her stomach twisted with the kind of frustration only jealousy could twist.

Samantha had just put her in her place in front of everyone, and Sophia's skin turned blotchy from the shame and anger boiling in her.

Then her eyes spotted something near the register-a bottle of black ink, already open, sitting beside a Parker fountain pen. Her lips curled into a sneaky smirk.

While everyone was preoccupied, she silently filled the pen with ink, turned around, and suddenly flung it hard at Samantha's clothes.

A scream rang out from one of the assistants, and splatters of ink bloomed across Samantha's outfit. Sophia let out a soft snicker, clearly satisfied, yet apparently still not done-she turned back and dumped the whole bottle of ink straight onto the counter.

Half the ink spilled out and soaked into the linen outfit Samantha had just taken off.

Feigning innocence, Sophia drawled, "Oops, clumsy me. My bad."

There wasn't even a flicker of panic in Samantha's eyes over the ink. Instead, her gaze sharpened instantly-cold and piercing.

But when she saw her sister's favorite linen outfit being ruined by that spilled ink, something in her face snapped. Her eyes darkened, pupils shrinking with fury.

She stormed forward, yanked up the outfit, and then-

Smack.

A fierce slap landed clean across Sophia's face.

Sophia froze. Her hand flew up to her cheek where five red marks started to rise. "You-You hit me?" she shouted, blinking in disbelief.

This wasn't just anyone. She was Sophia, the only heiress to Rivers Group-one of the top four corporations in Lichester!

Since she was a kid, maids, chefs, nannies, drivers, even so-called friends-who dared do anything but bow to her? She'd never been touched like this her whole life!

Samantha met her gaze, that same chilling calm on her face. "Damn right I hit you. Or do you think I need to schedule an appointment?"

Even the air in the room froze over from her words. Everyone felt that tremor in their bones.

That was her sister's favorite outfit, now ruined with deep black stains. The fabric-linen-blended-was nearly impossible to restore if dyed. It was basically destroyed.

"You psycho! Do you even know who I am?! You actually dared to slap me!" Sophia screamed, her voice climbing as her fury exploded. Her heavily-lined eyes went wide with rage as she lunged forward and swung straight for Samantha's face.

Suddenly, a strong hand grabbed Sophia's wrist just in time-

"Ouch, let go of me!" she squealed, wincing from the pain. She looked up and saw a tall man step in front of Samantha, firmly holding onto her wrist.

The anger in Sophia's eyes instantly froze when she saw him.

Seriously, how could someone look this good?!

He was well over six feet tall, dressed in a perfectly tailored cream-colored dress shirt that subtly hinted at a sculpted six-pack beneath. His face looked like it was carved by the gods-sharp brows, deep eyes, a chiseled nose, and lips with the kind of refined curve that made people stare.

But what truly made him stand out was the way he carried himself-like someone born into privilege. His expression was cool and detached, his presence so commanding it made people instinctively fall silent.

Who was he? And why did he have to be so ridiculously attractive?

Sophia's heart started racing. She stared at him, dazed, forgetting all about the pain in her wrist.

"You think this is the Perkins household and you can do whatever the hell you want?" Alexander frowned slightly, his voice low and unreadable, clearly annoyed.

"I..." Sophia's heart skipped a beat, thinking he was speaking to her. Just as she opened her mouth, she was cut off.

"Funny. You know it's not your house, but think you can butt in anyway?" Samantha didn't even look up as she neatly adjusted her sister's clothes, snapping back with zero hesitation.

"Wait, I-" Sophia's face dropped when she realized Alexander wasn't even talking to her. It was that woman. That awful woman.

"This is the Perkins Mall. Creating a scene here-what are you even thinking?" Alexander ignored Sophia completely, locking his gaze on Samantha with contempt in his eyes.

Samantha scoffed coldly. "How are you so sure I'm the one making trouble? Ever think it might be someone else? I don't back down when I'm wronged, that's just not me."

Sophia tried to step in, wanting to explain, but once again, Alexander didn't spare her a glance.

He looked past her, face impassive, and warned Samantha, "Pull one more stunt like that, and next time, I might not stop someone's hand in time."

"Oh, save your breath," Samantha snapped, rolling her eyes. "It's not like you showed up out of concern for me. Looks like you're more worried about someone else getting hurt."

Alexander: "..."

Sophia immediately stepped closer, faking a pitiful look. "She hit me first!"

She put on her best damsel-in-distress act-but got nothing. The man's face was like ice, his voice even colder. "Caitlin, go home. Keep stirring trouble and you'll find out exactly what that means."

When Sophia heard him say "go home" to that woman, it felt like a knife had gone straight through her.

That awful woman-she couldn't possibly be... his family?

Sophia's chest tightened, anxiety twisting her insides. No. Please, not that. Don't let her be his wife. Anyone but her.

Still being held by Alexander, Samantha yanked her hand away, glaring at him. "Alexander, how did you even know I was here? Were you following me?"

"You honestly think I need to stalk someone? Please. Mrs. Perkins strutted into the Perkins Mall all on her own. What-do you think my people just sit around twiddling their thumbs?" Alexander let out a cold laugh, his presence alone making every employee in the room tense up.

Mrs. Perkins...

So she really is his wife?

Alexander, the CEO of Perkins Corporation, worth billions and ridiculously good-looking-who would've thought he'd marry a woman that brash and overbearing?

Sure, Caitlin wasn't someone easy to mess with-Sophia could admit that much. But so what? When she wanted a man, she got him. No questions, no competition. She had never lost before, and she didn't plan to start now.

Alexander was hers. End of story.

Over by the racks, Alexander and Samantha were still in a standoff, completely ignoring Sophia's existence.

"Come home with me," Alexander said, reaching for Samantha's hand again.

"I've got legs, I'll walk myself," she fired back, dodging his hand and walking away like he wasn't even there.

Watching the two of them leave one after the other, Sophia's lips curled into a chilly smirk. Their relationship didn't seem all that solid after all.

Once they were gone, the store's employees couldn't help whispering among themselves.

"Wow, Mr. Perkins is seriously hot."

"Right? Rich and hot? He must've rescued a puppy and solved world peace in a past life."

"Nah, I'd say Mrs. Perkins is the one who did. Marrying Mr. Perkins? She's won life."

"Oh come on, Mrs. Perkins is stunning, has a killer body, and she's a featured designer for Aurelune. She's definitely on his level, maybe even above."

Hearing all this, Sophia's face instantly darkened. Her anger spiked as she shouted at them, "Shut up! That woman doesn't deserve Alexander at all. Mrs. Perkins? What a joke. Just wait-I'll bring her down sooner or later."

Back at the villa, Samantha ignored Alexander entirely and headed straight for the upstairs floor.

"Stop right there," Alexander ordered.

Samantha paused, leaned against the staircase railing, and glanced down at him. "What, still not done arguing? Didn't get enough drama at the mall? You got so much energy, why not hit the gym? I'm wiped, I'm not playing along anymore."

Alexander couldn't stand the way she looked down at him from above. The sharp edge in her gaze, the way she stood so confidently-it made him feel like she was actually looking down on him.

"Where were you tonight? Whose car did you get into? Why did you even go out?" His eyes were dark with a chill that sliced clean.

"You chased me all the way to the mall, right? So you should already know the answers. Now you wanna hear it straight from me? What, hoping I confirm your little suspicions?" Samantha's eyes sparkled with amusement as she looked at him.

Alexander's face turned a shade darker. "..."

With his frosty glare fixed on her, Samantha walked down the stairs slowly. The outfit she wore hugged her perfectly, exuding this queen-like energy that actually sent a strange ripple through Alexander's chest.

Caitlin, standing right in front of him now, was drop-dead gorgeous. Sexy, powerful, untouchably confident-she had a presence that made you want to look up, not down.

He'd never met a woman quite like her.

Her beauty was so potent, her gaze alone could make a man unsteady. That timid, quiet version of Caitlin from before? She didn't even exist anymore.

She hadn't just changed-she'd obliterated her past self.

Watching her come closer, Alexander couldn't help but remember the moment he'd kissed her-how sweet her lips tasted. And somehow, he wanted it again.

His throat bobbed visibly.

Samantha stopped right in front of Alexander, eyes locked on him, her gaze sharp and unapologetic.

"As for why I went out... I don't think you'd really wanna know that, Mr. Perkins. Since you've got the skills to have me followed, I'm sure you can dig up all my secrets yourself."

Her breath was warm against his face, the faint sweetness lingering between her words. That look in her eyes-sharp and knowing-made his chest tighten with the urge to silence her lips again, forcefully.

"You better spill the truth now while you still can. Otherwise, the price you'll pay later... might be more than you can handle."

His voice dropped several degrees colder, the storm in his eyes barely restrained as he tried to pull himself back from the edge. Damn it, this woman had this ridiculous ability to rile him up-again and again.

And the worst part? She wasn't even trying to flirt. She was just provoking him.

Samantha's lips curled with a slow, mocking smile. The cherry-red color on them added an icy edge to her otherwise calm face.

"What price? Seriously, whatever it is-I'm game."

Alexander's tone, his presence that usually made people shut up and back off, was completely ineffective on her. A jolt of frustration hit him-hot and sharp.

Without thinking, he yanked her into his arms, slammed his lips against hers in a kiss completely lacking tenderness.

"Ugh-get off!"

She shoved at him hard, breaking free, and the crack of her slap echoed across the room.

"Caitlin, do you have a death wish?!"

His fury erupted, tension thick in the air as if the whole room had dipped below zero.

"You think I'm scared now?"

Her eyes were burning with something darker, deeper. "Back then, I tried so hard to play nice, to get close-and you didn't even look at me. Now that I want absolutely nothing to do with you, you come crawling back like I owe you something? Grow up, Mr. Perkins. Don't be pathetic."

She had the nerve-the actual nerve-to throw reasoning at him like he needed a moral lesson.

A dry, humorless smirk tugged at Alexander's lips. Since when did someone like him get told off by a woman?

"Alexander, I'm tired. I'm calling it a night. If you're still not done yelling or throwing tantrums, come back tomorrow, okay?"

Samantha shot him a look that could freeze over hell, her eyes skimming over the red, slap-shaped mark on his face.

"Get lost." His voice was gravel, low and rough. For the first time, he felt something weird, something like... powerless.

Samantha strolled back to her room like nothing happened. She began undressing for a shower and froze when her eyes landed on a stained piece of clothing-her sister's, blotched with black ink.

She knelt on the bed, pulling the fabric to her face, and let the memories wash over her like waves-messy, aching, and full of weight.Caitlin was the last family Samantha had in this world. They had the same blood running through their veins. If Caitlin were still alive, maybe Samantha wouldn't feel so alone all the time.

Ethan had told her that their mother passed away when Caitlin was just ten. After that, Caitlin stayed with the Warrens.

She'd known all along she had a twin sister but never had the chance to reunite because of all the mess in the Warren family.

It wasn't until she met Ethan that she begged him to get Samantha out of the orphanage and place her with a Calverian family in Farsenia to be cared for.

The money that supported Samantha's living expenses and tuition? A chunk of it came from Caitlin. She scraped by, working part-time while saving every penny she could.

Ethan mentioned that even though Caitlin wasn't short of food or clothes back then, life wasn't exactly easy for her. Just to save pocket money, she'd often skip breakfast.

In truth, Ethan became Caitlin's only rock during those years. Though, he later admitted that the first moment he saw her, he fell in love. They weren't just leaning on each other, they were in it together.

Samantha's stable life and her chance to attend the top design school in Farsenia-that was all thanks to Caitlin and Ethan.

It was just tragic that all this time, she never realized she had a blood sibling out there.

Back when she was with the foster family, she used to watch their two daughters bicker and giggle together. Even their fights were full of sweetness. Samantha would sit there, watching, so jealous it hurt.

She'd always been the odd one out, with no one to share her thoughts or secrets with.

And how cruel was fate? By the time she finally knew she had an older sister, there wasn't even a chance to say goodbye.

On the day she returned to the country, Samantha stood by Caitlin's grave. She listened in silence as Ethan told her about all the hardships Caitlin had endured-the injustice, the pain. And deep down, she made a promise: whoever hurt her sister was going to regret it.

Gently, she ran her fingers over Caitlin's favorite soft cotton-linen top, her tears spilling before she even noticed.

"Caitlin!"

The door burst open without warning-Alexander stormed in.

His chiseled face still bore the harsh red imprint of her slap.

Samantha froze. Clad in nothing but bra and panties, she gasped, too stunned to even cover herself properly.

Alexander's gaze fell on her nearly bare figure. His pupils contracted sharply.

She had the kind of figure that could shake a man's soul.

That kneeling pose, her soft curves-it practically had him swallowing hard. For a second, whatever he meant to say just vanished from his mind."Alexander, seriously? You're the big boss of Perkins Corp and you're out here spying on someone getting changed? That's pretty low, even for you."

Samantha's glare could cut glass. She snatched up her clothes and wrapped them around herself, her voice cold and sharp. "Get out."

"I'll give you one minute. Get dressed and come out," Alexander said, unfazed by her outburst. He closed the door behind him and waited outside, oddly calm. His heart, however, was in chaos.

She'd only been gone five days, but came back like a whole different person-hostile and intense. Her whole vibe had changed. It was like she'd turned into someone else... someone magnetic.

And suddenly, he couldn't look away.

Even her style had taken a sharp turn-from plain and boring to bold and eye-catching, just like he liked. Caitlin used to wear these loose, shapeless clothes that completely hid her figure. He'd never realized how stunning she really was until now. Changing her wardrobe had completely changed the way he saw her-her body, each curve, suddenly impossible to ignore.

"Alexander, barging into a woman's room? That's just pathetic." Samantha stepped out dressed in a plain sporty outfit, her hair pulled back in a high ponytail. The look was simple, but on her, it worked-confident, casual, and somehow still gorgeous.

"Depends on the man," Alexander said, furrowing his brow. "Last I checked, I'm still your husband. Legally."

She let out a dry laugh. "Big ego much?"

"Let's go," he said, grabbing her hand without another word.

Samantha pulled away, standing her ground. "Why should I?"

"I don't owe you an explanation," he replied, clearly annoyed.

"Funny. I don't like being touched. And unless you tell me where we're going and why, I'm not going anywhere."

"I need you to cook a Farsenian meal. For someone important. It might be the only thing that can bring them back," he said, his tone serious.

Samantha raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "You think dinner's gonna pull off a miracle?"

"I didn't believe it either. But weird things happen."

She studied him, her curiosity piqued. "So you're saying you need me?"

"Yeah." His eyes narrowed slightly, picking up on her shifting mood. He wasn't sure what game she was playing this time.

"I can do it. But we're making a deal." She gave him a slight smirk, all business.

"Name it."

Of course it wouldn't be that easy. She was barging right into negotiations. His lips curved into the faintest trace of a smile.