Chapter 12: When Misfortunes Come
"What are you trying to do?" Liang Xiaoluo screamed in fear.
Seeing Ye Tianlin's cold eyes, she realized her earlier defiance could provoke him further. Quickly, she softened her tone and said, "I… I'm not that woman. You've mistaken me for someone else. Please, let me go…"
Ye Tianlin's gaze darkened, and a flash of murderous intent crossed his chiseled face. His voice, colder than his expression, whispered as he leaned closer, "The one I want is you."
Liang Xiaoluo stared wide-eyed as his handsome face inched closer. Humiliation and fear filled her heart, her eyes welling with tears. Before they could fall, his lips crushed down on hers.
"No… no! Stop!" she cried out, but her words were swallowed by his fierce kiss.
How had her life spiraled into this nightmare? It had been calm and simple, but ever since that fateful night, everything had unraveled in ways she couldn't predict. Her trembling lashes fluttered as she fought back tears, yet they slipped down her cheeks, bringing all her suppressed grief to the surface.
Shaojie Gege…
Ye Tianlin, lost in his own desires, paid no heed to her tears. Her body was an intoxicating drug that he couldn't resist, and he wanted more.
Liang Xiaoluo's voice, now hoarse from pleading, trembled as she whispered, "Please… stop…"
Her vision blurred with tears, and her strength faded. Memories of her father's words echoed in her mind: Stay strong no matter what. Only strength will keep you alive.
But how could she stay strong now?
Liang Xiaoluo had always cherished her dignity, but now she felt utterly powerless, a mere pawn in someone else's cruel game. She began struggling frantically, even though she knew resistance was futile. Desperation drove her movements, a last-ditch effort to escape becoming someone's plaything.
Ye Tianlin sneered at her struggles, his gaze sharp and scornful. "Feeling helpless, are we?" he asked mockingly.
To him, women were tools of betrayal, fit only to be dominated and controlled. Since the age of ten, his hatred for women had been etched into his soul.
As Ye Tianlin pinned her down, she felt his weight pressing on her, suffocating her spirit. She shut her eyes tightly, letting her tears fall freely. The world had taken everything from her—her father, her home, her dreams. Now, all that remained was despair.
Through her trembling lips, a name escaped: "Shaojie Gege…"
The words were soft, yet they struck Ye Tianlin like a blade. He froze momentarily, his movements halting. She had called out another man's name.
A wave of irritation surged within him. His grip on her tightened as if to punish her for thinking of someone else in his presence.
But before he could act further, an urgent knock shattered the tension in the room.
"Sir! Sir!" A voice called from outside, panicked and breathless.
Veins bulged on Ye Tianlin's temples. He despised interruptions, and his mood darkened further. Ignoring the knock, he turned back to Liang Xiaoluo, intent on continuing.
"Sir, the deck… the deck is on fire!" The trembling voice outside managed to stammer out the words.
Fire? The notion sounded absurd to Ye Tianlin. His icy glare fixed on the intruder as he moved to the door and yanked it open. Standing there was his secretary, pale and sweating profusely.
"You'd better have a good reason for barging in," Ye Tianlin growled, his voice low and menacing.
"Sir, the deck has caught fire! Everyone is evacuating. We must leave immediately!" The secretary's words tumbled out, urgency evident in every syllable.
Ye Tianlin's eyes narrowed. Smoke began seeping into the room, stinging his nose. The secretary's panic was genuine.
Without another word, Ye Tianlin strode back into the bathroom, grabbed a large towel, and wrapped it around Liang Xiaoluo's trembling body. Lifting her effortlessly into his arms, he carried her out.
Liang Xiaoluo's mind reeled as she was swept up and bundled away. She didn't know what was happening, but relief washed over her—she had narrowly avoided the nightmare she'd feared most. Yet the flames of danger still loomed, and she wasn't truly safe.
Clinging to Ye Tianlin, she buried her face against his chest, feeling the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. Outside, chaos reigned as people scrambled for safety, shouting and pushing in desperation.
Despite the panic, Ye Tianlin remained calm and composed, navigating the chaos with measured steps. His presence was unshaken, like an anchor in a storm. Liang Xiaoluo couldn't help but wonder: Who is this man?
Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice the path they took, but Ye Tianlin's secretary led the way with precision.
They reached a private yacht docked nearby. As Ye Tianlin climbed aboard with Liang Xiaoluo in his arms, the captain prepared to cast off.
"Wait!" Ye Tianlin ordered suddenly.
The yacht remained still as Ye Tianlin turned to glance back at the burning ship. His expression was unreadable, his dark eyes fixated on the flames that licked hungrily at the vessel's frame.
After a moment of silence, he gave the order. "Go."
The yacht sped away, creating a safe distance from the inferno. Moments later, a thunderous explosion shattered the night, shaking the surrounding waters. Liang Xiaoluo flinched at the deafening sound, her body trembling in fear.
Peeking out from her cocoon, she saw the blazing inferno consuming the ship. Flames illuminated the night, casting an eerie, breathtaking glow over the sea.
Ye Tianlin stood silently, his gaze locked on the fire. "Nightwing…" he muttered under his breath, his tone unreadable.
Liang Xiaoluo caught the name. Something about it felt familiar, but she couldn't place where she'd heard it before.
As the fiery chaos unfolded, another figure stood motionless on the deck of the doomed ship. His tall, commanding silhouette was illuminated by the flames. The man's expression remained stoic as he stared in the direction of Ye Tianlin's yacht.
"Xiaoluo…" he murmured softly.
The flames crept closer, their heat licking at his back, but he didn't move.
"Sir, we need to leave now! The ship is about to explode!" a bodyguard urged, his voice frantic.
But the man didn't flinch, his gaze never wavering from the yacht disappearing into the horizon.