Chapter 44: Punishment
Despite every fiber of her being resisting, Liang Xiaoluo gritted her teeth and endured. She had no choice but to comply if she wanted even a glimmer of hope to contact her family. Yet her lips refused to cooperate, spitting out a defiant, "No! Get lost!"
Summoning all her strength, she managed to free her hands from Ye Tianlin's grip and immediately used them to pound against his chest.
But Ye Tianlin didn't budge. Instead, he pressed closer, a sly smirk playing on his lips.
"Stop—!" Liang Xiaoluo screamed, her voice trembling with anger and fear, but before she could finish, her words were muffled by the searing heat of his lips as they claimed hers.
Her face flushed crimson, a mixture of shame and rage, but her body betrayed her, trembling under his touch.
Ye Tianlin, oblivious to her distress—or perhaps relishing it—deepened the kiss, finding satisfaction in her resistance. His actions stemmed not only from desire but also from a deep-seated need to assert control, to rewrite his narrative with women, to reclaim what had been stolen from him in the past.
For years, Ye Tianlin had lived with the shadow of Hua Lin looming over him, her betrayal etched into his psyche. Her predatory actions had shattered his ability to trust or even tolerate women. Every touch, every interaction was laced with revulsion—until Liang Xiaoluo.
She was an anomaly, someone who stirred both desire and solace. Her resistance, her fire, ignited something in him that no other woman could.
"Don't..." Liang Xiaoluo's voice cracked as she futilely struggled against him, trying to push him away.
Ye Tianlin chuckled darkly. "Really? You don't want this? Think about your wish…"
Her movements faltered. She thought of her father. Of freedom.
Seeing her hesitation, Ye Tianlin murmured, "Good girl."
What followed was a flurry of motion that left Liang Xiaoluo lying motionless on the bed, her energy sapped, her spirit battered. Tears trickled down her face as she stared blankly at the ceiling, the weight of her submission crushing her.
As the room fell into a tense silence, a sharp ringtone shattered the air. Ye Tianlin grabbed his phone, his expression darkening as he answered.
"霖儿 (Lin'er), you've betrayed me. You'll regret this," a venomous voice hissed from the other end.
His body stiffened. That voice—it was Hua Lin.
For a moment, Ye Tianlin sat frozen, the phone pressed to his ear as her words sank in. Then, in an explosive burst of anger, he hurled the phone against the wall, shattering it into pieces.
Liang Xiaoluo flinched, startled by his sudden outburst.
"What's wrong with you?" she asked hesitantly, her voice barely a whisper.
Ye Tianlin didn't answer. His eyes burned with a deadly intensity as he began tearing through the room, overturning furniture and rifling through drawers.
"Wh-what are you looking for?" Liang Xiaoluo stammered, clutching the bedsheet tightly around her.
Ye Tianlin ignored her. His search finally led him to an innocuous-looking lamp on the nightstand. He picked it up, examining it closely before smashing it to the ground. Hidden within the base of the lamp was a surveillance device.
A cold rage settled over him. "Damn it," he muttered.
Liang Xiaoluo instinctively covered her ears as the crash echoed through the room, a scream slipping from her lips.
The commotion drew Left Wheel's attention outside the door. Without hesitation, he burst in. "Sir! Is everything all right?"
Ye Tianlin turned to him, his voice icy. "I want answers by tomorrow."
Left Wheel nodded gravely, understanding the weight of the directive.
When the room was quiet once more, Liang Xiaoluo sat frozen on the bed, too afraid to move. Ye Tianlin's gaze finally fell on her, sharp and calculating.
"Was it you?" he asked, his voice cold as steel.
"W-what?" she stammered, shrinking under his scrutiny.
He studied her for a long moment before shaking his head. No, it couldn't be her. The fear and confusion on her face were genuine.
Later that night, Ye Tianlin slid into bed beside Liang Xiaoluo, pulling her into his arms. She stiffened immediately, struggling to free herself.
"Let go of me!" she snapped.
"Quiet," he ordered, his voice low and commanding. "Sleep."
When she continued to resist, he leaned closer, his breath warm against her ear. "Unless… you'd prefer we continue where we left off."
She froze. The threat was clear, and she wasn't willing to test his patience further. Reluctantly, she stopped struggling, lying still as he held her.
As the minutes ticked by, his breathing evened out, signaling that he had fallen asleep. Liang Xiaoluo, however, lay wide awake, her mind racing. The weight of his arm around her was suffocating, yet she dared not move.
Turning her head slightly, she caught a glimpse of his face. Even in sleep, his features were striking—perfect, almost inhumanly so. She found herself staring, captivated despite herself.
Her cheeks flushed when his eyes fluttered open. Caught in the act, she quickly turned away. "Let go of me," she muttered, hoping to cover her embarrassment.
Instead of letting go, Ye Tianlin tightened his hold, a smirk tugging at his lips.
"You're not going anywhere," he murmured.