Chapter 1
Nightfall descended, shrouding Silverlight City's elite neighborhood in tranquil silence.
Inside the Getty Mansion, crystal chandeliers dimmed to a soft glow. At the dining table, candlelight flickered across Scarlett Savoy's delicate, slightly pale face.
Tonight marked her third wedding anniversary with Thaddeus Getty.
As "Hymn," the voice acting legend whose range could bring any character to life—from innocent schoolgirls to commanding queens—she was worshipped by countless fans.
But tonight, Scarlett was just a wife waiting for her husband to come home.
She'd personally seared the premium filet mignon to medium-rare perfection—exactly how Thaddeus preferred it. The vintage Cabernet had been decanting, releasing its rich berry notes into the air.
Inside the small velvet jewelry box on the table lay a pair of custom cufflinks she'd commissioned three months ago, their initials "G&S" intricately set with diamond chips.
She'd arranged everything herself, heart full of anticipation.
When the electronic lock at the entrance beeped, Scarlett's pulse skipped.
She stood, a gentle smile blooming across her face, ready to welcome her husband.
But instead of Thaddeus's deep baritone, a flirtatious, smugly triumphant female voice floated through.
"Thaddeus, I just knew you'd come through for me!"
The smile froze on Scarlett's face.
Thaddeus appeared in the doorway, tall and commanding in his tailored designer suit, handsome features set in their usual cold reserve, those deep-set eyes regarding her with their customary iciness.
Tucked comfortably against his arm was a petite woman in a white sundress.
Lavinia Collins.
The entertainment industry's rising star, known for her innocent public persona.
"Scarlett, you're home?" Lavinia's eyes flashed with barely concealed triumph before morphing into wide-eyed innocence.
She released Thaddeus and fluttered toward Scarlett like a delicate butterfly, proudly displaying a folder of documents.
"Look what Thaddeus surprised me with! He's investing in a music studio just for me—already named it 'StarLight Entertainment'!"
"He says my voice is heavenly and shouldn't be wasted—that the whole world deserves to hear it."
Scarlett's gaze moved past Lavinia to Thaddeus's impassive face.
He hadn't even glanced at her carefully prepared dinner, as if the candlelight, wine, and his wife herself were merely decorative fixtures in the mansion.
An invisible fist squeezed her heart until she could barely breathe.
Three years of marriage. Over a thousand lonely nights. She thought she'd grown accustomed to his coldness.
Yet somehow, on this special day, he still managed to completely demolish her defenses.
Bitterness rose in her throat as Scarlett's fingers curled at her sides, nails digging crescents into her palms.
She parted her lips, wanting to say something—anything—even just to ask if he remembered what day it was.
"I—"
Thaddeus's glacier-cold voice cut her off.
"Don't speak."
He didn't look at her, just irritably tugged at his tie, his narrow eyes filled with undisguised revulsion.
"You're giving me a headache."
Scarlett's mind went blank. Staring at the man she'd loved for so many years, all color drained from her face, her lips trembling uncontrollably.
"Thaddeus." Lavinia pulled at his sleeve with feigned concern. "Don't talk to Scarlett like that. You'll hurt her feelings. She's Hymn, after all. Her voice is beautiful."
"Beautiful?" Thaddeus scoffed, finally directing his gaze toward Scarlett, his eyes colder than the winter night outside. "To me, it's worthless."
He shrugged off his suit jacket, carelessly draping it over a chair before turning to Lavinia. "Let's go. Didn't you say you were hungry? I'll take you to dinner."
"Perfect!" Lavinia beamed, once again wrapping herself around Thaddeus's arm. As they left, she threw a victorious smile over her shoulder at Scarlett.
Once again, Scarlett stood alone in the vast dining room.
She remained frozen in place. The candles had burned out without her noticing, wax pooling like the endless tears she'd shed over these three years.
Her carefully prepared anniversary dinner—Thaddeus hadn't spared it a single glance.
Late that night.
Scarlett curled into herself on the cold, empty bed, sleep nowhere to be found.
From downstairs came the sound of a car engine shutting off, followed by the mansion door being roughly pushed open.
He was back.
Heavy footsteps approached, finally stopping outside the bedroom door.
The door swung open, and the strong scent of bourbon instantly invaded the room.
Scarlett's heart leapt to her throat, her body instinctively tensing.
Thaddeus staggered to the bedside, his towering frame casting an oppressive shadow over her.
In the next moment, he bent down, roughly tearing at her nightgown.
"No!" Scarlett struggled in panic, but he easily pinned her wrists, trapping her beneath him.
Thaddeus's kisses tasted of bourbon and domination, overwhelming her completely.
This wasn't love. This was punishment.
For three years, it had always been like this.
Icy tears slid from the corners of her eyes, dampening the pillowcase.
"Scarlett."
Against her ear, Thaddeus repeated the same accusation she'd heard for three years but never understood, his voice hoarse with bone-deep hatred.
"You selfish woman!"
"Why did you do it?"
Why?
Scarlett wished she knew why.
The devastating fire that had consumed her childhood happiness had burned away not just her home, but all memory of that night.
She remembered nothing.
Her mind was blank when it came to that night—only endless fear and soul-shattering pain remained.
She couldn't answer Thaddeus, could only silently endure his punishment again and again.
The moment he entered her body, the pain made her arch involuntarily.
In the darkness, she heard him growling against her ear, each word searing into her heart.
"Answer me, Scarlett. Why won't you answer me?"
He didn't understand her amnesia, only saw her silence as guilt, as admission.
So the punishment grew more violent.
Scarlett felt like a lone boat tossed in a tempest, about to be swallowed by massive waves and sink into bottomless depths.
Eventually, Thaddeus exhausted all his rage and desire upon her body and fell into heavy sleep.
The tearing pain throughout her body was nothing compared to the agony in her heart.
In the darkness, Scarlett stared hollow-eyed at the ceiling until the first hint of dawn broke across the horizon.
