I felt like I was about to throw up. My head started to spin. I even started to hear Lanfen's wicked laughter inside my mind. How could Lan Jing demand that Aren divorce me? This was ridiculous! And for what reason? Because I wasn't Chinese?! "Waigong… I don't want to be disrespectful, but are you shitting me?!" Aren snapped. "Zhuyi ni de yuyan!" His grandfather thundered. "Wo bu hui lihun!" Aren yelled. I didn't know what it all meant, but I hated it; I hated this whole situation. I looked at Lanfen and saw her sitting innocently as if she wasn't the main cause of this uproar. I seriously wanted to punch her and knock her white teeth out of that fake humble smile! Lan Jing took a deep breath before exclaiming, "Why are you so angry, xiaohouzi?! I've chosen Lanfen because you've already been in a relationship together! You broke up because of a misunderstanding, and misunderstandings are meant to be fixed!" He punched the table with his fist. Aren burst into cold laughter before
I could feel the blood running off my face. My fingertips turned cold, and the palm sides of my hands became damp from sweat. I looked Lan Jing in the eyes, silently praying that he wouldn't notice how nervous his question made me, but I could already tell from the brief curve on his lips that I had failed. I felt as if he had caught me in a lie, although I didn't say a word. Telling the truth about the contract would have obvious consequences: it would mark my relationship with Aren as a strictly business deal, and it would degrade my chances of proving that I could be a better partner for Aren than Lanfen. But did I really have another choice? "What's the matter, hanzi? Can't you answer a simple question?" Lan Jing chuckled. "Perhaps you are worried that revealing the truth would cost you money? I bet that Aren either promised you big money for this marriage or settled huge penalties for exposing the true nature of your relationship... or both." I closed my eyes and clenched my fis
Lan Jing led me to the dining room, where everyone was waiting for us, ready to take their seats. The top seats were reserved for Lan Jing and his current wife, Mingyu, with the head of the family sitting on the right side, and his wife on the left. As I entered the room, elegantly linking arms with Lan Jing, I instantly earned Mingyu's glare. The sophisticated lady who seemed to be merely in her forties had a healthy alabaster complexion and shiny black hair cut in a medium bob. She sent waves of hostility my way while she held her slender hand on Lanfen's shoulder as if she wanted to make a clear statement about whom she supported. I couldn't begin to express how glad I was when Lan Jing ignored Mingyu's displeased stare and led me to the top of the table.He stopped as he reached his seat, waited until he got everyone's attention, and turned my way. "Hanzi, I would like to introduce you to my family." He shifted his eyes to those standing by their seats around the table. "This is t
Caishen's fingers curled tightly around my wrist. I looked at him, wincing as his grip became strong enough to leave bruises on my skin. Once he noticed my grimace, his lips curled up as if he was enjoying my pain."Let go of my hand," I said, frowning. "You're hurting me."He chuckled and only added strength to his grip. I struggled to release my hand, but it felt as if I was being held by metal clutches. Suddenly, someone grabbed Caishen's hand that held mine. "She told you to let her go."I raised my eyes and saw Weimin, glaring at Caishen and forcing him to release me. Weimin wore casual jeans and a white fitted T-shirt, but his darkening eyes left no room for doubt that he was dangerous. I glanced down at Weimin's arm and saw it was all muscles. As he applied more force to his grip, Caishen's clutch on my wrist loosened. Finally, Caishen let go of my hand and raised his hands in surrender. "I only wanted to show our guest the mansion," he said, smirking mockingly."You won't have
I watched my husband shrug out of his suit jacket and throw away his tie and shoes. He did it all in a heartbeat and jumped into the pool before ramming Weimin down and pushing him under the water. I stood petrified, observing Aren's fists flying above the water surface and sending Weimin a series of deadly blows. Weimin pushed Aren back, lurching at him with a hoarse growl and hitting his ribs. Aren punched his nose and pulled him under the water again. I saw them reaching the bottom of the pool, Weimin jerking Aren's shirt and Aren grabbing his throat. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't do anything. I just observed their shapes moving as the water around them became red."Stop it..." I muttered, barely swallowing my tears. "Stop! Please!" I cried out.They kept fighting, painting the water with blood, fury fueling their every move. Finally, they resurfaced, and as I saw Weimin's bloodied face, I realized that Aren wasn't going to stop."Aren, I'm begging you! Please!" I screamed, my han
It took Aren less than a minute to free me from my tiny bikini bra and shorts. Then he began celebrating every inch of my naked skin, searing it with his lips and tongue. My hands wandered through his perfect slabs of muscle, enjoying the feeling underneath my fingertips. He grinned wickedly, watching me bite my lip as he enticed my arousal with carefully measured caresses. I couldn't help that he knew my body well. He studied my reactions and perfectly directed me toward my climax. I screamed his name aloud enough for the sound to reach the corridor as his thrusting fingers led me to my second orgasm."I told you that I would make you scream," he breathed, lifting himself before pushing the waistband of his boxer shorts down.I looked at his rigid erection and gasped, thinking that my husband was built to perfection. He didn't let me feast my eyes for too long. He jerked his hips, entering me roughly. I whimpered as the size of him heated my insides. He smiled and kissed my lips befo
It wasn't surprising that the grand Lans' mansion had its own ballroom with a stage prepared for the host to step onto the platform and speak to the crowd. While the guests and the other members of the Lan family entered the ballroom through the main door, the event's main character was supposed to greet everyone once he appeared on the stage, and I was supposed to stand on that stage with him.I had to admit that I was terrified of the thought of being in the spotlight. When I came to Shanghai with Aren, all I wanted was to stand by his side and act as a good wife without interfering in business. But according to Lan Jing, that would only prove that I was weak, too weak to be Aren's wife. Lan Jing had a plan, and in that plan, he wanted to convince everyone that I was Aren's greatest asset. I wasn't sure what he meant by that, but I had to trust that he knew what he was doing."It's harder to get rid of someone who has all eyes on him," Lan Jing said. "If you stay in Aren's shadow, n
I had never realized what this freak show with my official introduction was all about until it was after dinner, and all those businessmen came to talk to me. It was all about recognition, and that meant power. My husband was always around, observing my expression and making sure I was safe, but he didn't interfere. I was no longer just Aren Lan's wife—I was Cora Bell Lan, an independent woman with business ideas of her own. I was casually describing details of the security software I'd created, and those people listened to me with interest. I collected the business cards of American, Chinese, and Japanese investors, hearing that they would gladly become my business partners. It felt surreal. Of course, they believed whatever I said mainly because Lan Jing's compliments placed a huge "capable" sign on my forehead, but they weren't completely blinded by that. It was more like they were giving me the benefit of the doubt, but it was more than enough for me. For the first time in my life
I didn't answer Aren right away. I held my poker face still, resisting the urge to smile. I waited until the smug smirk slowly left his mouth, enjoying every second of his uncertainty. "Say it again," I said. He raised his eyebrows questioningly. "Will you marry me?" His confusion made my lips gently curve. "Not this, but your words before that." "I love you." He grinned, reaching for my hand. "I love you." He took out the ring from the box and put it on my finger. It fitted perfectly. "I love you," he breathed, leaning closer and placing a gentle kiss on my chin, on my cheek, and my lips. I wish I could say that it was a perfect, romantic moment, but my hormones ruined it all by making me cry again. He chuckled softly, sitting beside me and pulling me onto his lap. He kissed every tear away while gently stroking my hair with his fingers. "I want you forever as my wife. Nod if you agree," he said, giving me the sweetest smile I saw on his face. Of course, I nodded. It was much e
I had been dreaming about this moment for the last five months. No. Scratch that. I had been having nightmares about this moment. From the moment I found out that I was pregnant, there wasn't a single day I didn't think about how I was going to tell Aren. Initially, I wanted to call him immediately. This situation was changing everything between us. I grabbed the phone while tears flooded my eyes. I picked Aren's number... and I froze.The baby I had growing inside my belly would become the future heir of the Lan family. This meant that as soon as I told anyone, I would become the future mother of the future heir... Chills ran down my spine. Would I be forced to live in Shanghai and become nothing more than Aren Lan's wife? I instantly felt nauseous, and not only because I had morning sickness. Something was crushing my chest, and I was scared. I was terrified. And then later, what if someone decided that I wasn't the best mother for my child and would take my child away? I knew that
It'd been over six months since Cora walked out the door of the Lan family mansion. That day was the last time I saw her, the last time I felt her, and the last time I could focus on anything. From that moment, I had been merely existing, surprising myself each time I got up to see another morning. Funny, isn't it? The cold son of the bitch who wasn't supposed to have a heart was suffering from agonizing heartache. If Nanny Mei Lien had seen me like this, she would have called me pathetic.Since my Mother died a little after I was born, Mei Lien was the only parent figure around me. James Winton most likely wanted me to die as well, but Mei Lien did everything she could to keep me safe. She contacted my Grandfather on her own and begged him to grant me and her his protection. He refused. He was soaked with hatred for the daughter who betrayed him, and it was only natural that he would hate that daughter's son as well. It's ironic that right before the daughter whom he hated died wishe
I started packing the second I walked into our room. Aren looked at me, shocked. Within a heartbeat, he surged between me and my suitcase. "What are you doing, sunshine?" His steady voice had a rough edge painted with anxiety. "I'm going back to New York. I had already booked a plane on our way to the mansion." I tried to keep my tone composed, but every piece within me was shaking. He huffed nervously. "When are you coming back to Shanghai?" His eyes darkened; he knew what I was going to say. "I'm not coming back," I muttered, lowering my gaze. "Sunshine... don't..." He shook his head, pain and desperation surfacing in his features wildly. I brushed away the tears that had uncontrollably fallen down my cheeks. "Give me a reason why I should stay?" I pushed him away from my suitcase and continued packing. "I know that I'm selfish, but I can't lose you." His voice was soft, nearly cracking. Before I knew it, his arms were wrapped around me, and I surrendered to the warmth of his b
I had trouble eating dinner, and it had nothing to do with my two broken fingers. I couldn't swallow a single piece of food, feeling that every bite got stuck in my throat. Afterward, I went to Lan Jing's office for a private conversation. I was pissed, and with every second that had gone by, I found it more difficult to hide my anger. I had known that Aren would have to be in Shanghai to take over Lan Wang Corporation, but we were going to discuss the details together! I had never even considered moving to Shanghai and staying here permanently!The few friends I had, all lived in New York. My Grandma stayed in the clinic in New York. My life was in New York. I loved Aren, but I had only just begun to truly cherish the place where I lived, and I didn't want to move somewhere else, no matter how beautiful and extraordinary Shanghai was. It wasn't about the language, because I would gladly learn it, but I would do it for myself. I helped Aren with his revenge, and it seemed to me that h
I was not a killer. I'd always considered myself a good person. I had a high set of moral standards, and I had never thought that there would be a day when I would point a gun at someone, thinking that he deserved to die. Still, I couldn't take away his life... But I wanted him to suffer. I aimed at his right shoulder. Adrenaline sharpened my senses, making me more focused than I had ever been in my whole life. The oddly funny fact was that I had problems with hitting the target board, but I knew exactly where the bullet would hit the second I pulled that trigger.Caishen growled in pain, the knife held in his right hand falling to the ground. "You bitch!" he yelled, stomping my way.I shot again, this time aiming at his thigh. The second bullet made him collapse. I watched him fall to the ground, his hands reaching to press the wound on his leg. I smirked coldly. I must have hit an artery since he was bleeding out fast. None of those shots were lethal, but they were enough. He lost.
My husband was two feet away from me. He was covered in blood, but all I cared about was that the blood wasn't his. His eyes carried an explosive mix of emotions. There was fear, guilt, relief, need, longing, pain, anger, and an unrecognizable form of warmth. He stood still, as if he was waiting for my permission to come closer, to touch me, to embrace me. Seeing him near me and not feeling his skin against mine was almost unbearable. My whole body craved him. I could finally breathe because he was close. I spread my arms open, invitingly. It only took a heartbeat for him to encircle me in a tight hug, allowing me to melt into his muscular frame. I breathed in his scent like it was a remedy for all the physical pain."I missed you so much," I mumbled, shedding a wide stream of tears.His hands delicately traced up and down my back as if he was afraid to hurt me. "I'm sorry, sunshine... I'm so sorry." He breathed heavily in between leaving soft kisses on the crown of my head. "I was so
The alarms went off. I could see the red lights flashing rhythmically as Caishen dragged me through the corridor. This time I didn't even dream of running away. I was circled by Max and the group of guards who watched me closely, tensing each time one of my legs swayed as if it was a signal of me trying to run away. I tried to memorize the route but then decided that it was useless since I didn't even know where the exit was. Nonetheless, I'd noticed something before: there were no windows. My suspicions were confirmed as I was pushed into the elevator. We were on the underground floor—Level -3, and the elevator went down to Level -5.Once we left the elevator, I saw more armed men, running somewhere and securing certain areas. Then I heard very distant gunshots. My heart started to pound with a new beat. Aren might have been getting closer. The sole thought made my body warm."Get in," Caishen hissed, throwing me into a raw, almost unfurnished room. "You will wait here until it's all
Caishen's peel of laughter told me that I could breathe again. I emptied my lungs in one hectic exhale. The gun's barrel was still touching my temple. My hand was trembling. I blinked my eyes, slowly realizing that there was no bullet in the chamber. Caishen clapped his hands, visibly entertained that I decided to risk my life, playing his sick game. I hated him. I hated him for making me choose between my life and the lives of the criminals standing around me. It would have been easier if I had lost my moral values and had given up on respect for human lives, but it was something I could never do. Certainly, I believed that there were deviants in this world that didn't deserve to live, but if I was their judge, I would rather grant them hell on earth than send them to hell myself."Are you trying to become a saint, my dear?" Caishen laughed as he snatched the gun from my hand. "We are surrounded by meaningless people. Their lives don't matter. They will always be workers, not creator