**Chapter 1: Unlikely Union**

Jane's eyes widened as she stared at the stranger standing before her, a mix of shock and disbelief swirling in her chest. It had been ten years since she'd last seen Kaden, her childhood nemesis, the boy who had made her life a living hell with his constant teasing and bullying. The memories of their tumultuous past came flooding back, and she couldn't help but wonder what life had brought him to her doorstep. As a child, Jane had been the target of Kaden's merciless jokes and ridicule. He would often mock her for her small stature, calling her names like "peanut" and "fun-sized." She had tried to ignore him, but his words had cut deep, leaving scars that still lingered. Now, at 20 years old, Jane had built walls around herself, protecting her heart from the pain of her past. But as she gazed into Kaden's eyes, she felt those walls crumbling, her defenses weakening. The man standing before her was unrecognizable, yet somehow, he was still the same Kaden she had known. "Kaden?" she whispered, her voice barely audible. He nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "Jane. It's been a long time." Jane's mind reeled as she tried to process the situation. Her father had been searching for a wife for her, and it seemed he had finally found her in the unlikeliest of places. The arrangement had been made, and now they were expected to live together as husband and wife. As they stood there, the tension between them was palpable. Jane could feel the weight of their shared history bearing down on her, making her skin crawl. She didn't know how she was going to navigate this new reality, but she was determined to make it work. According to the laws of their country, a wedding night was a mandatory part of the union, a way to prove fidelity and ensure the bride wasn't pregnant. Jane had heard whispers about the custom, but she had never thought she'd be subjected to it. As they prepared for the inevitable, Jane's anxiety grew. She couldn't shake off the feeling that Kaden was going to hurt her, that he would use their marriage as an opportunity to continue where they had left off. Their wedding ceremony was a blur, but as they stood before each other, exchanging vows, Jane felt a spark of anger ignite within her. She glanced at Kaden, and for a moment, their eyes locked, the air thick with unspoken tension. The night that followed was a culmination of all her fears and anxieties. As they stood before each other, naked and vulnerable, Jane felt a wave of revulsion wash over her. Kaden's eyes roamed over her body, and she knew he was thinking about the rumors he had spread about her, about her being small and inexperienced. "You're still the same, I see," she spat, her voice venomous. "You think you can just use me and discard me like a piece of trash?" Kaden's expression darkened, and for a moment, Jane thought she saw a glimmer of the boy she had known. "You were always so sensitive, Jane," he sneered. "I didn't think you'd still be carrying around that chip on your shoulder." Their argument escalated, the words spilling out of them like venom. They stood there, hurling insults and accusations at each other, the air thick with hatred and resentment. But as they quarreled, Jane couldn't shake off the feeling that there was more to their union than met the eye, that their marriage was only the beginning of a complicated dance, one that would leave them both breathless and wanting.