The strapless dress slipped from her shoulders, pooling around her feet.
A chill ran over her exposed skin.
Yun Zhiyi immediately covered her chest, her hands crossing over herself protectively.
"I don't have that kind of relationship with him."
"Do you believe me if I say those marks on his neck weren't my doing? No… I don't expect you to believe me."
Yun Zhiyi had already braced herself for the worst; her instincts told her that Li Yuye wasn't going to let her off easily.
"Nothing happened with him?"
Li Yuye's anger faded slightly as his gaze traced over her smooth skin, the fire in his eyes growing stronger, his tone laced with a hint of amusement.
"If you want me to keep quiet, you know it comes with a price."
"What kind of price?" Yun Zhiyi bit her lip and met his gaze.
Li Yuye's eyes traveled over her, full of unspoken intent.
"Spend some time with me."
Yun Zhiyi didn't respond. She hadn't expected this to happen again.
But now, she had no other choice. Her intuition told her that even if she refused, she wouldn't be able to leave this room.
She knew all too well his strength, his commanding nature, and his readiness to act.
After a pause, she pressed her lips together and whispered, "But my fiancé is still in the hall. If he doesn't see me, he'll come looking."
"Don't worry." His long arms lifted her up and carried her toward the plush bed. "This place is heavily guarded; he won't get in."
"Mr. Li, I hope you won't take too long…"
Yun Zhiyi, held firmly against the bed, wished he would make it quick.
"The jewelry auction starts in less than half an hour. I don't have time to spare."
"Simple enough. I'll have them delay it by thirty minutes."
His warm lips descended on her, kissing her neck and capturing her lips in a way that was intense, almost smothering. Yun Zhiyi clenched her fists, nudging him to stop with the kissing and biting.
As the room filled with rising heat and tension, he murmured against her ear.
"What kind of jewelry do you like?"
Yun Zhiyi let out a muffled protest. "What are you saying…"
"I'll buy it for you."
Yun Zhiyi turned her head away defiantly. "I don't like anything. I don't want anything from you."
Such a lavish gift—she knew she couldn't afford it in more ways than one.
Half an Hour Later
The jewelry auction hall was packed with elite guests, and the host took to the microphone.
"We apologize, dear guests. We have a surprise for you tonight, so the jewelry auction will be delayed by thirty minutes."
Someone asked, "What's the surprise? We've never had this before."
The glamorous host smiled. "For the next thirty minutes, you're invited to participate in a raffle at the main desk. The winner's expenses for the evening will be covered by a very generous mystery guest!"
The guests buzzed with excitement. Who was this big spender willing to cover such a bill? The casino alone saw massive amounts of money flowing every minute—what kind of person could offer to cover it all? People barely had time to react before rushing toward the raffle in droves.
An hour later, the auction officially began.
The staff had prepared an array of precious gemstones, diamonds, and rare large-carat stones, most set into stunning pieces, each displayed on a special pedestal and presented one by one.
Upstairs
In a shadowed VIP box, two men lounged on leather sofas.
The owner of the Jin City auction house, dressed in a burgundy suit, spoke with a wicked grin.
"I heard from Feng Ze that your pet wolf, Ah Lang, got lost in the forest?"
Ah Lang, a rare and stunningly intelligent wolf with silver-gray fur, had been raised by Li Yuye from a pup and had been his companion for years.
For Ah Lang's sake, Li Yuye had even purchased a vast forest to let him roam and hunt freely, but on a stormy night, the wolf had gone missing and hadn't been found since.
At the mention of his wolf, Li Yuye, looking well "satisfied," reclined lazily on the sofa, eyes closed, not even a flicker of interest crossing his face.
Ye Yuan leaned closer to him. "But I also heard… you brought back a little beauty from the forest?"