Chapter 42: The Frenzied Beast
Liang Xiaoluo's trembling arms crossed over her chest as she screamed at Ye Tianlin, "Don't look at me!"
Ye Tianlin's lips curled into a smirk, his eyes gleaming with a mix of amusement and menace. "Don't look? Didn't you do all that just to get my attention?"
"You…" Liang Xiaoluo's face turned crimson with rage, her words caught in her throat.
How can someone be this shameless? she thought, glaring at the man before her. He wasn't just cruel—he was a complete devil, a monster.
Ye Tianlin suddenly leaned closer.
"What… what are you doing?" she stammered, her voice trembling as she averted her gaze and squeezed her eyes shut.
He stepped into the bath, his tone laced with mockery. "Why so shy? You should get used to this."
His hand reached out to force her hands away from her body. Her eyes snapped open, defiance and fury burning within them.
"You're a pervert!" she spat, her voice rising.
"A pervert?" he repeated, chuckling darkly. "Not my favorite term. Let's find something better, shall we?"
"You…" she faltered, her anger and fear mingling into an overwhelming storm.
Ignoring her, he added casually, "Why don't you call me 'Tianlin'? I rather like the sound of that."
He closed the distance between them, his smug grin growing wider. Toying with her fear was far too enjoyable.
Liang Xiaoluo clenched her fists, knowing there was no escape. His looming presence was suffocating. Summoning her courage, she said coldly, "You're nothing but a wild beast—an animal that preys on defenseless women. Is that something you're proud of? Should the world know that Ye Tianlin, the great second son of the Ye family, is nothing more than a—"
"What did you say?" he growled, his hand clamping down on her jaw like a steel vice.
His handsome face twisted with rage, and a chilling darkness clouded his eyes.
Did she just call me a beast? His blood boiled. No one had ever dared to speak to him like this.
Liang Xiaoluo froze under his menacing glare. Her words had escaped in a fit of anger, and now she was paying the price.
"Say that again," he demanded, his voice low and lethal.
"I…" Her voice wavered, her instincts screaming at her to stay silent.
"Say it!" His grip tightened, forcing her to meet his fiery gaze.
Summoning what little courage she had left, she snapped, "You're a beast. A filthy, lowly beast—"
Before she could finish, Ye Tianlin's lips crushed hers, silencing her defiance. His kiss was punishing, searing with anger and raw intensity.
Liang Xiaoluo's tears spilled over, her body trembling beneath his unrelenting hold. She tried to push him away, but he was immovable, his fury rendering him unstoppable.
"You brought this on yourself," he hissed, his voice dripping with malice.
The night became a blur of torment for Liang Xiaoluo. Ye Tianlin's wrath knew no bounds, his roughness leaving her body battered and her spirit shattered. By the time he finally stopped, she was limp, her energy utterly drained.
Liang Xiaoluo's body slid lifelessly into the water as Ye Tianlin stepped back. Alarmed, he quickly pulled her out, carrying her to the bed and laying her down. He didn't bother covering her with a blanket or dressing her.
She lay there unconscious, her chest rising and falling shallowly.
Ye Tianlin sat beside her, his eyes softening as he traced her features. "Why do you resist me so much? If you just surrendered, it wouldn't have to be this way."
His fingers hovered above her cheek, but he hesitated. There was a pang in his chest—a feeling he didn't recognize. Ever since she had entered his life, his carefully controlled world had begun to unravel.
She was unlike anyone else.
A knock at the door broke his reverie. Left Wheel's voice came through, hesitant. "Sir, it's time."
Ye Tianlin turned toward the door, a faint smile playing on his lips. "She'll stay here tonight. You may go."
"Uh…" Left Wheel faltered, confused by the deviation from the usual routine.
Ye Tianlin didn't wait for a response, shutting the door in his face. Turning back to the bed, he watched Liang Xiaoluo's sleeping form, his expression unreadable.
Half an hour later, Liang Xiaoluo stirred. Her eyelids fluttered open, her surroundings slowly coming into focus. The events of the night flooded back, hitting her like a tidal wave. She clutched the bed sheets, bile rising in her throat.
"Awake?"
Ye Tianlin's voice startled her. He stood beside the bed, holding a cup of warm water. To anyone else, the gesture might have seemed kind, but to Liang Xiaoluo, it was menacing—a wolf offering a lamb a drink.
She hesitated.
"Drink," he commanded, his tone brooking no argument.
Swallowing her fear, she took the cup and downed its contents, her hands shaking.
"Good girl," he said with a satisfied smirk.
Liang Xiaoluo recoiled as he sat beside her. Every instinct screamed at her to move away, but she forced herself to remain still.
"Come closer," he ordered, his patience wearing thin.
She flinched, her heart racing. Resistance would only make things worse.
"I said, come closer," he repeated, his voice sharper.
Trembling, she met his gaze. "Why me?" she asked, her voice breaking. "You have Su Xin. Isn't she enough?"
His eyes lit up with amusement, and his smile deepened. "Are you jealous?"
Liang Xiaoluo's heart sank. This monster found joy in her misery, and there was nothing she could do to escape.