She Smiled at the Monster

They warned her about him.

Aethon Virelle wasn't someone people approached.
He was someone they avoided.
A name spoken in hushed tones. A presence that made hearts uneasy.

Cold. Untouchable. Dangerous.

A monster wrapped in wealth and power.

But Ilyra Solmira had never been afraid of the dark.

Where others saw danger, she saw something broken.
Where others turned away-

She stayed.
And then... she smiled.

That was the moment everything changed.

Because Aethon had never noticed anyone before.
Never cared. Never hesitated.

Until her.

Now, the girl who carries light in her soul
has caught the attention of something that only knows darkness.

He doesn't love.
He doesn't feel.
He doesn't let go.

And Ilyra?
She might be the only thing he can't control...
-or the one thing he'll destroy trying to.

In a world of secrets, power, and dangerous desires,
one question remains-

What happens when a monster becomes obsessed
with the only girl who isn't afraid of him?