Anya choked back a sob and said in a broken voice, "Yes... Boss."
A diabolical satisfaction appeared on Zain's face. He shoved Anya toward the bed and began advancing toward her.
The tension inside the room was at its peak. Zain's cold gaze was piercing through Anya's soul, forcing her to call him 'Boss'. A tear was about to fall from Anya's eye when suddenly, the sound of Xuyana and Fengning's light footsteps and hushed whispers could be heard in the hallway.
Zain's ears perked up. He realized that his mother and sister were trying to eavesdrop near the window or door to catch a glimpse of their 'wedding night'.
In an instant, Zain's predatory face changed. With lightning speed, he pulled Anya into his arms. Anya was stunned.
Zain: (Suddenly in a deeply loving and velvety voice, loud enough to be heard outside) "Oh, my darling... why do you look so tired? Was today very exhausting for you?"
Anya's eyes went wide. Zain whispered very softly into her ear, his tone still icy— "Act, Anya! If they see us fighting, it won't be good for Lu Wei. Laugh loudly and show your love for me!"
Outside, Xuyana and Fengning stood with their ears pressed against the window.
Fengning: (Softly) "Mom, look! Brother is being so romantic. I can't believe this is the same stone-hearted Zain."
Anya suppressed her sobs and forced out a sweet laugh that sounded like breaking glass.
Anya: (In a trembling voice, acting) "No... Zain... you... you are so good. I... I just feel so much peace in your arms."
Anya draped her arms around Zain's neck, but her fingers were clenching his shirt in anger. Zain caressed her cheeks as if she were the most precious thing in the world, while his eyes still burned with that fire of hatred.
Zain: (For those outside to hear) "You are my world, Anya. I will never let you away from me."
He laid Anya on the bed and leaned over her, making it look to anyone outside as if they were lost in each other. Anya's heart was pounding. She couldn't understand which version of Zain was real—the one who called her a 'slave,' or the one who presented her as an 'Empress' to the world.
As soon as the footsteps faded and Xuyana and Fengning retreated to their rooms, Zain's face turned stony again. He jerked away from Anya and stood up.
Zain: "The act is over. Now sleep quietly. And remember... if anyone in the office sees these tears in your eyes tomorrow, you know the consequence."
Anya curled into a corner of the bed in silence. She wondered how skillfully this 'Chinese Wolf' could trap his prey in a web of love and then strangle them.
The Midnight Rebellion
In the dark room, only the 'tick-tock' of the clock and the sound of Zain's heavy breathing could be heard. Anya lay huddled in a corner of the bed, her eyes fixed on the ceiling. The poison of bitterness was swirling in her mind.
"I wish... I wish I had never gone for that interview that day. I wish my scooty had broken down on the way," she clenched her fists.
This one-year contract marriage with Zain was nothing less than a life sentence. Until recently, behind Zain's sternness, she had perhaps glimpsed a 'broken man,' and a small corner of Anya's heart had begun to feel a bit of sympathy or perhaps 'feelings' for him. She had thought that maybe she could melt this 'Icy Wolf'.
But tonight had ended everything. Zain's "Call me Boss" remark and his hateful gaze had crushed that tiny budding feeling in Anya's heart. Now, only hatred and helplessness remained.
She slowly turned over and looked at Zain. In the moonlight, his sculpted face looked even more handsome and peaceful. No one could tell by looking at him that this was the same man who had called her a 'slave' just moments ago.
Anya saw that Zain's breathing was now steady—he was asleep.
Anya very carefully put her foot down from the bed. She was moving as slowly as a shadow. She was thirsty and wanted to leave this suffocating room for a few moments. As she stood up, she remembered Rule Number 7—not to move from the bed without permission.
But tonight, her heart was rebelling. "You can't stop me while you're sleeping, Mr. Boss," she said to herself and began tip-toeing toward the door.
Just as her hand reached the doorknob, a cold and terrifying voice came from behind:
"Where are you going, Anya? Did I give you permission to leave the bed?"
Anya's body froze like ice. Zain's eyes were closed, but his voice held that same authority and sternness. Was he actually sleeping, or just waiting to catch her?
The Water Punishment & The Counter-Attack
Anya's hand froze right on the doorknob. She turned around to see Zain now sitting up in bed. There wasn't a trace of sleep in his eyes, only that predatory glint.
"I... I am thirsty. I'm going to drink water," Anya said, gathering some courage in her voice.
Zain slowly got out of bed and walked toward the jug. He filled a glass with water, but he didn't hand it to Anya. Instead, with a cruel smile, he brought the glass right over Anya's head and poured the entire cold water over her.
Anya screamed. The water was so icy that her breath hitched. She was already weak, and this cold shock made her body shiver.
"Here is your water. Is your thirst quenched, or do you want more?" Zain's voice didn't hold an ounce of mercy.
In Anya's eyes, there were no longer tears, but sparks of hatred. She was furious at her own weakness, and Zain's action broke the dam of her patience. She remembered that she was not some helpless doll.
She lunged and picked up the other water jug from the table and, without a second thought, threw the entire jug of water onto Zain's face and his expensive nightsuit.
Silence fell over the room. Zain's wet hair fell over his forehead, and water was dripping down from his shirt. He had never imagined in his dreams that this 'little cat' would have the audacity to lift a hand or strike back at him.
Anya was panting, her whole body shivering with cold, but her gaze was locked onto Zain's eyes.
Anya: (In a trembling yet sharp voice) "What did you think? That I would quietly endure all your insolence? If you are a 'Wolf', then remember that a wounded animal is the most dangerous of all, 'Boss'!"
Zain slowly wiped the water from his face. His silence was a sign of a great storm approaching. He took a step toward Anya. Anya didn't back down, even though her legs were shaking.
Zain: (In a whisper, which was scarier than a roar) "You have just invited your own death, Anya. Rule Number 11... lifting a hand against the master. You will now have to pay for this by giving up your entire night's sleep and peace."
He grabbed Anya's wet wrist and pulled her toward him with a jerk.
The air in the room suddenly turned heavy. Zain ripped off his wet T-shirt in one motion and threw it on the floor. Anya's gaze, despite herself, couldn't look away from Zain's physique. Zain's body was sculpted like a stone statue—his 6-pack abs and his lean, strong waist bore witness to his strength.
But what was most terrifying and heart-wrenching were the scars of old wounds on Zain's back and chest. Those marks told a story of a horrific torture. Anya's anger turned into fear and shock for a moment. She realized that the hatred this 'Wolf' was filled with had very deep roots.
Zain shook his wet hair and fixed his cold gaze on Anya. Droplets of water were sliding down his body.
Zain: (In a low and dangerous voice) "You have made me lose my temper, Anya. Now begins the real punishment of Rules 4 and 7."
He grabbed Anya with a jerk and threw her onto the Bed. Anya's wet clothes were soaking the bedsheets, making her feel even colder. Zain leaned over her, both his hands pinning Anya's head to the bed so she couldn't even move.
Zain: "Rule 4—Physical Ownership. This life of yours, this body, and this courage... all of it is my property. And Rule 7—tonight you will have to obey my every word, without any questions."
Anya's heartbeat was thundering in her ears. She could feel the heat of Zain's body against her icy coldness. She looked into Zain's eyes, where now there wasn't just hatred, but a strange 'Obsession' reflecting too.
Anya: (In a trembling voice) "Zain... your... these scars..."
Zain's face hardened. He placed his hand near Anya's neck, not to scare her, but to assert his right.
Zain: "There is no need to think about my scars. Worry about your own condition. Tonight, I will make you realize what happens when a 'Slave' lifts a hand against their 'Master'."
He leaned down and whispered into Anya's ears, and his voice was so deep that a shiver ran down Anya's spine.
"Tonight is going to be very long for you, Anya. By morning, you might even forget your own name."