Chapter 18: A-Yan, could you stay with me?

Watching Zhou Chenyan walk in with such an easy, natural air, I felt a surge of irritation, especially as he took off his jacket and began unbuttoning his shirt.

I turned and headed toward the door.

"Where are you going?"

I pulled the door open. "The guest room."

"Come back."

I frowned slightly, looking at him in confusion. He had always loathed my proximity, detesting the idea of sharing a room or a bed with me.

"I assume you don't want my mother having a talk with you tomorrow."

He had already undone his buttons, revealing the solid muscles beneath his shirt. He possessed an excellent physique, standing nearly six-foot-three; setting aside his character, his physical attributes were more than sufficient. I had once been captivated by this very exterior.

Now, I shifted my gaze away, indifferent.

His words, however, served as a reminder. Zhou’s mother had always hoped for us to settle down and have a child; the arrangements for tonight were far too transparent in their intent.

"I’ll sneak into the guest room and return before morning." That way, she wouldn’t notice.

"Is it such a grievance to stay with me?" He must have sensed my repulsion, for he sounded displeased. "Who was it that used to cry and beg to get into my bed, clinging to me and refusing to let go?"

My face burned with shame. It was true, I had done those things in the past. I loved him, and wanting to be close to the one you love is only human nature.

"As you said, that was in the past." I looked at his face, my expression composed and restrained. "Now, I only want a divorce as soon as possible."

Therefore, there should not be a single moment of intimacy between us.

Suddenly, a wave of heat pressed against me from behind. I was forcibly shoved against the door, and it slammed shut with a bang. The bedroom lights flickered out instantly.

My heart skipped a beat. "Let go."

"We are husband and wife." His voice was heavy, stirring a sense of unease within me.

The next moment, my feet left the floor as he swept me up into his arms. This sensation of weightlessness was unsettling, and I instinctively grabbed the only thing within reach—his shoulders.

That drew a low, mocking laugh from him.

Beneath me was the soft bed; before me was his scorching, rigid frame. There was nowhere to run. My breathing grew ragged with anxiety as I reached out to push him away. His proximity, which once made my heart race, now only filled me with revulsion.

He likely mistook my struggle for feigned coyness. With keen interest, he seized my wrists, his thumb gently tracing my pulse, sending tremors through my body.

I gritted my teeth and gave him a hard shove!

He was pushed off the bed. Without a glance at him, I scrambled up and bolted for the door, only to be caught halfway and dragged back.

This time, he bound my wrists together and pinned them above my head, his voice fierce. "What are you running for? It’s not as if you’re some chaste maiden."

"This is assault! It’s against the law!" My earlier struggle had exhausted me, and combined with the panic and tension, my breathing was shallow.

"Husband and wife being intimate—what law is that breaking?"

"I don't want this!"

"You don't want it?" Zhou Chenyan sounded as if he’d heard a joke, letting out a low, dry laugh.

Our bodies were pressed tightly together; every movement caused a friction that sent ripples of heat through me, fueling my fury.

His voice turned cold. "Who was it that chased me? Who crawled into my bed after I got drunk? Haven't you gotten exactly what you begged for today? You think you can just decide you don't want it anymore?"

I was trembling with rage. It was true that I had once been fond of him, blinded at the time by his appearance. But I had been far too busy trying to find work to pursue a romance; even if I had feelings, I had never chased him.

It was he who had sought me out, pursuing me with all sorts of elaborate gestures.

Yet, once I had truly fallen for him and we were married, he abandoned his former warmth, turning so cold it was as if he were a different person. At first, I didn't know why, assuming I had done something wrong to displease him. Later, I realized he hadn't changed his heart—his heart had never been with me in the first place.

I was shivering, my head spinning. I hated his cold-blooded cruelty, and I despised him for humiliating me even now.

He leaned in to kiss me. Sensing his presence, I turned my head away without hesitation.

"What are you dodging?"

He would not tolerate my resistance, forcing my chin up to claim his territory.

Suddenly, a knock sounded at the door.

Everything went still.

"A-Yan, are you in there?" It was Zhou Zhizi.

Her voice was filled with terror and vulnerability. "I just had a nightmare, and I’m too scared to sleep. A-Yan, if you aren't asleep, could you keep me company?"

For the first time, her arrival filled me with a sense of gratitude. It wasn't the first time Zhou Zhizi had used such an excuse to knock, but in the past, without exception, Zhou Chenyan would abandon me and leave.

No matter how far we had gone.

So, I held no expectations for him this time, even prompting him, "Go on, then. Otherwise, your dear sister won't be able to sleep tonight."

"You want me to go?" His expression was strange.

I didn't think twice. "Yes."

"Hiss—"

He suddenly gripped my jaw hard. I winced in pain, my eyes flashing with murderous intent.

"Are you sick?"

Zhou Chenyan’s gaze darkened. "Zhizi, if you're really that scared, go find Mother. I’m not available right now. I’ll come see you tomorrow."

What had he just said?

I doubted my own ears. Zhou Chenyan, actually rejecting Zhou Zhizi?

Outside the door, it grew quiet.

The heat in the room began to climb again. I knew that confrontation would yield no good results; my physical strength was no match for his. Even as he tore at my collar, I remained rigid, forcing myself to lie still like a corpse.

As his kisses fell upon my cheek, I spoke quietly.

"There are no wine bottles in the room today. But there is a desk lamp. Do you want to get hit again?"

The man who had been doing as he pleased suddenly froze. All his passion and desire vanished instantly.

A chill washed over me.

The lights flickered on, dispelling the darkness and blinding me so severely that it took a long while for my vision to clear.

Zhou Chenyan stood before me, bare-chested, his expression incredibly grim. "You think I’m desperate to touch you? If you don't want it, then get out."

His complexion seemed off, flushed with an unnatural red. I suddenly recalled that during dinner, Zhou’s mother had given him a bowl of soup with a peculiar scent.

But what did that have to do with me?

I rose, glancing at the tie still binding my wrists, and frowned slightly. But there was something more urgent: leaving this room. Leaving this man.

As I moved to push the door open, his furious voice sounded from behind me.

"You stay. I’m the one leaving."

I watched him storm out in a rage and immediately moved to close the door, catching a glimpse of two figures—one tall, one short—standing in the hallway.

He was in his shirt, and the woman stood in a thin nightgown that clung to her delicate frame. She looked up at him, soft and sweet. "A-Yan, did you come to stay with me?"