IWK-CHAPTER 23

­ They say God only gives you trials you can handle— So why am I the exception? Blair, a pharmacist running a shabby little dispensary on the outskirts of town, thought she’d finally earned a break after enduring every hardship life could throw at her. But then she got kidnapped. And yet… the man behind the kidnapping? There’s something seriously off about him. > “Let’s make a deal. Marry me.” “You’ll be compensated generously. Forget rent — you’ll never have to worry about money again. Whatever you imagine, I can give you more.”   She thought she might as well turn her kidnapping into a business opportunity and reel in a long-term client. But instead, he offers a contract marriage. Wait— Did he just say he’s the infamous Blue-Eyed War Demon, the Marquis Hermann? …This isn’t a trial. This might be a jackpot. She only has one mission: To become his secret pharmacist for one year, crafting painkillers in the shadows. Blair planned to stay low, mix her potions, and quietly walk the path of wealth. But he’s tall, absurdly handsome, broad-shouldered, wealthy, and even has perfect manners? Letting this man go would be a crime. Should she just make him her real husband? > “What, am I not allowed to call a handsome man handsome?” “I just… missed your face too much.” “Don’t say anything. Just trust me and come with me right now.”   But even as she steps closer, he keeps building walls. > “...So all that talk about protecting me—was that just a beautiful lie?”   A man charging forward with zero regard for reason, yet hiding behind an unbreakable wall. Who exactly is he?