The bodyguard, dressed in black, spoke with a cold, emotionless voice as he glanced at the walkie-talkie. "Sir, we've found her."

Penelope Vilehart, bound by handcuffs and dragged along, trembled, holding her breath. 'What is happening?'

Tears threatened to spill, but no words came.

'Who is this "Sir" the bodyguards are referring to?!' she wondered.

Penelope was just a university student.

Less than half an hour ago, she had been walking down the street when a group of men in black suits suddenly blindfolded her and restrained her.

No matter how loudly she screamed, no one seemed to notice.

She racked her brain but couldn't fathom what she could have possibly done to anger such a powerful person.

Then, she was pushed into a room.

She stumbled, tripping and falling to the ground.

The silence that followed was suffocating.

Carefully, she removed the black cloth from her eyes to peer outside.

The blinding light forced her to squint, but all she saw were polished leather shoes, standing less than a meter in front of her.

Her gaze shifted upward, nervously. She froze. A tall, imposing man stood before her, his features exuding strength.

His face was chiseled, sharp, and handsome—almost unreal, like something from another world. His perfectly tailored frame exuded an air of nobility and authority, as though he were a king from a distant realm.

"Get up," the man commanded.

The command in his voice made Penelope flinch, and she scrambled to her feet. She looked up at him. "Who are you?"

"Ajax Grimwald."

The name struck her like a thunderbolt. She blinked, her mind racing to place it.

Then, the realization hit her like a wave. Her mouth fell open in shock.

This was the man who ranked among the top ten wealthiest individuals in Fiaris, the capital of Solara!

Ajax's eyes were as cold as the winter wind, his gaze locking onto hers with a hint of disdain. "The time for you to burn yourself with fire has arrived, Penelope."

"I don't know you! Why did you bring me here?" His presence was overwhelming, and Penelope's voice grew hoarse without her realizing it.

His eyes narrowed, sharp as a hawk's. "Valeria Fetter is my fiancée."

"V-Valeria..." Penelope's jaw nearly dropped. "So it's you..."

"Thanks to you, that heiress successfully escaped." Ajax's expression remained unreadable, his voice flat but icy, freezing Penelope in place.

She sucked in a sharp breath, finally understanding why she had been captured.

Penelope hurriedly tried to explain. "I was just shopping with Valeria that day. When she suggested we swap clothes, I had no idea she was planning to escape! This has nothing to do with me—"

Before she could finish, a letter was suddenly tossed in front of her.

Panicked, Penelope carefully opened it. As soon as she saw the handwriting, her face drained of color.

Valeria had betrayed her!

The letter claimed they were the best of friends, that Penelope had helped plan the escape, and that Valeria would return to find her once things calmed down.

"This can't be! Mr. Grimwald, I really don't know anything!" she cried in disbelief.

Ajax's expression hardened, his voice as cold as ever. "Where is she?"

"I don't know!" Penelope's hand trembled as she held the envelope, shook her head vigorously, and retreated a step backward.

She needed to get away—his eyes were filled with such coldness, such danger. He was terrifying.

But to her shock, Ajax moved dangerously close, gripping the back of her neck and forcing her to face him. His icy face was mere inches from hers. "I'll ask you one last time. Where is she?"

The space between them was so tight that their faces were nearly touching.

Penelope had never been this close to a man before. Her heart pounded wildly as if it might leap from her chest.