Chapter 20: No Salvation Tonight

A contest of conspiracies tears away the cloak of truth—where, then, are they to go from here?

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If it were daytime, if Lu Huaining were sober, he would surely have said, “I just happened to be nearby, checking if you were still alive.” The updates in romance stories come faster than rockets—would you believe it? But at this very moment, the boiling alcohol in his veins incinerated every shred of reason he was supposed to possess.

As he spoke, he felt all the coldness in his body vanish in an instant. Perhaps it was because of her umbrella, or perhaps, simply because he was close to her.

Xue Zuining thought she must have misheard the man’s words, muddled by the weather. She stared at Lu Huaining’s face, but when she saw his lazy yet earnest expression, she realized it was no mistake. More than anyone, she knew everything was veering off its original course, grinding toward an unforeseeable direction. For she saw the look of inevitable conquest on the man’s face, drawing ever nearer.

At last, he got what he wanted, just as in his memories. No—because of her docility, there was no struggle. Her lips were unbelievably soft, as if coated in honey, and though he never liked sweetness, her taste was indescribably exquisite. From gentle exploration to a deep, searching kiss, he pinned her hands behind her back with one hand, taking what he desired, reveling in the forbidden beauty. The black umbrella was cast to the ground, face up, left lonely to bear witness to the wild plundering in the rain-soaked night.

Xue Zuining did not know how to resist. More than that, she understood she could not refuse anything this man demanded. When she surrendered all dignity and stepped into his luxurious prison, her world had already fallen; she knew with chilling clarity that this day would come, sooner or later. She did not struggle or argue, obediently letting the man lead her to his car, driving through the storm, silently watching the wipers clear the windshield again and again.

When Xue Zuining, drenched to the bone, stepped once more into the suffocating space, the unknown, bare future left her flustered and at a loss.

Lu Huaining looked at her, curled up and shivering, her damp gaze fixed on her toes. Drops of water fell from her hair, pooling into a small circle on the floor, like an invisible cage confining her every move.

As his shadow loomed over her and, just before he reached out, her body recoiled instinctively. “Can I shower first? I’m cold…”

She huddled like a rain-soaked cat in a dark alley, her forbearance simmering into hidden anger. He stepped aside. “I’ll get you some clean clothes.”

The bathroom, as spacious as a living room, quickly filled with steam as she turned the shower up full blast. Xue Zuining kept her eyes open, letting the hot water sting them, a faint scent of perfume threading into her heart, leaving her throat inexplicably choked, unable to speak.

When her trembling fingers finally fastened the last button of the pale green shirt, when she opened the bathroom door with a heart steeled for anything, she could not help but shiver, even though the living room radiated warmth.

Yet before she could retreat to the haven of heat behind her, she was swept up in the man’s arms. She bit her lip, gazing at his restrained expression, feeling him press her into the sinful softness of the sofa with chaotic kisses. The suffocating fear made her instinctively turn away from his domineering, almost predatory, lips. Immersed in passion, he was abruptly pushed off the sofa by her resistance.

He landed on the carpet, and as she tried to escape, he moved like a hawk—dragging her trembling form down with him.

She felt his strength bearing down, her faint voice slipping past pale lips. Her body twisted helplessly, trying to retreat, only to fuel his unyielding determination. Gradually, she fell utterly silent.

In the midst of his conquest, when Lu Huaining realized the girl beneath him had turned into a mute marionette, he finally looked up. Her frightened, deer-like eyes clung to the collar of her shirt, as if begging to preserve the last shred of dignity.

That helpless yet stubborn gaze recalled for him the eyes he’d glimpsed in the dim light on that chaotic, rainy night—her, facing the storm with her chin lifted; the heartbeat he thought he’d lost...

But his mercy, he thought, could be extended to anyone—anyone, except the girl now beneath him, destined to become his.

Xue Zuining breathed quietly but heavily, feeling his grip loosen. Yet before her broken smile could bloom, his dry, cool hands gently covered her face. As his hands slid down, her eyelids slowly closed, plunging her world into utter darkness and sin.

Suddenly, he seized her, encircling her goddess-like form with force. The vast living room became his lawless domain; his silent conquest reached its peak as he tore her apart. Her sharp nails scraped his even shoulders, leaving long, faint red marks. The carpet beneath them twisted, then flattened before the next assault, echoing her despairing, humble surrender.

His breathing grew ragged. The flimsy summer shirt shredded beneath his hands. She never knew she could endure so much; nor did he realize how much despair could be hidden in silent tears. Her sobs were so quiet they seemed to vanish, but in the moment he entered her, a broken moan slipped from her bitten lips. He hated her like this—biting down on her slender shoulder, gripping her jaw with the cold detachment of a lone beast.

“You owe me! You owe me—”