Elisha never imagined things would turn out this way. “You shouldn’t have crossed this line if you didn’t want it to come to this,” a deep voice murmured as strong arms pulled her close. Her thoughts blurred, a warm, involuntary sigh escaping her lips. How had she ended up in this mess?

She remembered now—the future she’d seen. One where she became the fake concubine of a ruthless man from her own family, devoured until nothing remained. A future where the Cartier ducal house collapsed into chaos. To escape that fate, she had thrown herself at Lucerne, her former life’s greatest enemy.

It should have been simple. She knew him, both before and after her regression. He was, after all, the empire’s most infamous madman.

Twenty-year-old Elisha was drowning in debt—30,000 gold coins, an impossible sum. Desperate to avoid the nightmare awaiting her, she sought out Lucerne, the sworn enemy of her former master.

“What do you want from me?” he had asked, his gaze unreadable.

“Lend me the money,” she replied. “And take me as your subordinate. I’ll give you every piece of information I have.”

“Why should I trust you?”

“I’ll offer myself as collateral.”

Lucerne studied her in silence before answering. “Fine. But I decide how that collateral is handled.”

She hadn’t expected his next words.

“First, marry me.”

Elisha could only stare in shock. A simple exchange of information had somehow turned into a marriage contract.