Devil CEO Comes Knocking with Son

"Pain..."

Alice Rose bit her lip, determined not to let out another ambiguous moan from her throat.

The sound was too embarrassing.

A man's laughter seemed to echo faintly in her ears.

With her head spinning, Alice mustered the last of her will to open her hazy eyes, wishing to discern the man's features.

But the sunlight streamed in, and against the light, she could see nothing clearly.

Only the Wolf Head Pendant on the man’s neck swung back and forth, unceasingly.

"A wolf..."

Alice couldn't help but murmur under her breath; this man was a wolf.

Never satiated.

...

"Miss Alice, your makeup is ready, Miss Alice..."

The makeup artist's gentle call awoke Alice from her drowsy slumber. Observing the spacious dressing room and the snow-white, pristine wedding gown she wore, she came back to her senses.

Today was the day she would marry Marcus Smith.

Yet she had fallen asleep during the stylist's preparations and had also experienced an embarrassingly intimate dream.

Alice's cheeks flushed with shame.

Indeed, this wasn't the first time she had had such a dream.

In the past three years, every once in a while, she would find herself engulfed in the same dreamscape.

The dreams felt so real, the man's shallow laughter, his heavy panting, and his whispered words in her ear, all weaving an ambiguous enchantment that ebbed and flowed. So vivid were these sensations that even the warmth of his palm during their entwined fingers seemed to penetrate the dreamscape, causing her own palm to heat up.

That heat lingered long after she awoke, impossible to forget.

The dream was both real and absurd.

Yet in those repeated dreams, Alice never saw the man's face clearly.

The only thing she remembered was that Wolf Head Pendant.

Swinging back and forth, incessantly.

Shaking her head, Alice told herself not to dwell on it. Such thoughts were unseemly for a woman about to walk down the aisle.

With a soft sigh to calm her emotions, Alice asked quietly.

"What time is it? Is it about to start?"

"The guests have mostly arrived, the wedding will begin shortly. Just now, Mrs. Smith came by to remind you to be careful during the ceremony, to avoid any mistakes."

The makeup artist spoke, cautiously watching Alice's expression, anxious not to upset her.

After all, such a 'reminder' wasn't pleasant to hear.

However, Alice simply smiled faintly, not taking it to heart.

"I understand."

Mrs. Smith was Marcus Smith's mother, named Abigail Martinez Johnson.

Two months ago, the Smith family faced a significant financial crisis and urgently needed funds to tide them over. The only family with the capacity and willingness to provide the money was the Brown family.

When Caroline Brown, who was engaged to Marcus Smith, eloped, the Brown family used the wedding as leverage, insisting that Abigail marry Marcus Smith in Caroline's place to cover up the scandal.

Abigail Martinez had disliked Alice Rose from the start. If not for the Brown family's coercion, she would never have agreed.

Abigail’s disdain for her was palpable, and what was a mere warning compared to that?

But whom had she wronged?

She had never harbored any affection for Marcus Smith, nor had she coveted the Smith family's wealth.

Her agreement to replace Caroline Brown and marry Marcus Smith, merely to cover up the scandal, was nothing more than repaying a debt.

A life-saving debt!

Who could she share her unhappiness and reluctance with? She had no choice but to endure.

After all, she owed the Brown family.

Not wanting to dwell on these troubling thoughts, Alice slowly stood up, her stiff mouth corners pulling into a forced, faint smile. With a soft voice, she said,

"It's about time. Let's go out."

In the grand wedding hall, Abigail and Marcus were greeting guests with smiles. The Smith family held a notable reputation in Metropolis Central, drawing a large crowd of well-wishers on this day. As Alice stepped out, she was met with a chorus of congratulations and joyful salutations, though she was acutely aware of the insincerity, pretense, and mockery hidden behind many of them.

She was not Caroline Brown. Despite the Brown family’s backing, it could not change her humble origins, nor could it alter the fact that Abigail Martinez bore no fondness for her.

Nevertheless, Alice's face remained adorned with a gentle smile, her demeanor stoic and calm.

Without love, there was no real concern.

Whether the intentions of the gathered were genuine or not, she would not let them weigh on her heart.

The wedding began on schedule.

A red carpet stretched forth, flanked by the fiery allure of red roses. Alice, arm in arm with Marcus Smith, proceeded slowly.

The aisle was short, merely tens of meters.

Yet it felt like a vast expanse, each step signifying a lifelong commitment to this marriage.

Alice's pace was measured, her steps heavy, mirroring the weight in her heart.

The music filled her ears, unceasing.

Sensing Alice’s unease, Marcus leaned in and whispered, "Alice, don’t be afraid. I’m right here with you."

"I..."

"I never intended to marry Caroline Brown. You’ve always been the one in my heart, no matter my mother's opposition. I can’t change how I feel about you. I will be good to you, Alice. I love you."

His words were soft, barely discernible amidst the melody.

Yet, they made Alice’s heart skip a beat.

During her three-year stay with the Brown family, Marcus had never spoken such words to her.

Love her? She was always the one? He would treat her well in the future?

These phrases echoed in her mind, leaving her momentarily dazed until the officiant’s question brought her back to the present. Was she willing to marry Marcus? Did she even have the privilege to feel unwilling, as she was merely Caroline's replacement?

Besides, didn't Marcus's words imply that he had feelings for her? Marrying him would at least fulfill his wishes, wouldn't it?

Lifting her gaze towards Marcus, Alice parted her lips to speak.

"I..."

"Bang..."

Before she could finish, the grand doors of the wedding hall were violently kicked open, interrupting her.

A man of striking features, with star-like eyes and a commanding presence, entered briskly, leading a young boy in a matching suit and accompanied by a cadre of bodyguards clad in black.

Alice did not recognize this man.

But there was no one else present who did not know of him.

Grant Johnson.

A former Navy SEAL, turned business tycoon. Six years after an abrupt retirement, he had, with an iron fist, swiftly built the Prosperous Empire Group, establishing himself as a titan of commerce.

His arrival at Marcus Smith's wedding indicated a turn of fortune for the Smith family, sparking envy among the guests.

Marcus, caught off guard by Grant's presence, knew his duties as a groom required him to welcome all guests. He signaled the officiant to wait and, still holding Alice, approached Grant.

"Mr. Johnson, thank you for attending. My wife and I..."

"Smash!"

Before Marcus could finish, Grant bellowed the command. The forceful word, "smash," resonated powerfully, petrifying everyone in attendance.

Smash? What did that mean?

Before anyone could regain their composure, the black-clad bodyguards sprang into action. The sound of smashing objects spread rapidly through the wedding hall, and the guests' screams were unrelenting, plunging the entire scene into chaos.

Veins throbbed on Marcus Smith's forehead as his genteel facade began to crack. The arm he had wrapped around Alice tensed suddenly, and he fixed Grant with an icy stare.

"Mr. Johnson, what is the meaning of this?" Marcus demanded.

"Don't you understand?" Grant arched an eyebrow, a chilling smile playing across his lips, his gaze slowly landing on Alice Rose. But Alice, still in shock, her eyes wide with disbelief, didn't notice him, her attention fixed on the destruction unfolding around them.

Ignored, and thoroughly so.

A flicker of irritation flared within Grant Johnson, but what truly incensed him was Marcus's hand on Alice's waist—obtrusively visible.

Grant's gaze upon Alice was intense and unguarded, so m