Zero Illusion (EchoOfAshes #1)

At Hudson University, Caleb Jae Izana is the quiet, unassuming Architecture nerd, while Alexei Ren Zeyan is the arrogant Engineering bully who relentlessly torments him. To the campus, they are a classic clash of prey and predator.

But the dynamic shatters at a Yuren's birthday party hosted at the Izana Mansion, the ancestral estate of Caleb's ultra-wealthy, "old money" family. Armed with malicious intent to humiliate Caleb on his own turf, Alexei follows him to his private quarters, unaware that a mutual acquaintance has spiked Caleb's drink with a potent aphrodisiac.

Once behind locked doors, the trap reverses. Overwhelmed by the drug, Caleb's submissive facade dissolves, revealing an aggressively dominant nature that completely overpowers Alexei. By the end of the night, the ruthless campus tyrant is utterly subdued, yielding entirely to Caleb's absolute commands.

The encounter reaches a critical climax when Caleb's mother discovers them. To swiftly bury a ruinous scandal while elite society mingles downstairs, both prominent families intervene immediately. By morning, a strict Arranged Marriage is legally enforced.

0/19/2026