For a fleeting second, he felt the overwhelming urge to go back to her room, to gather her in his arms and beg her to stop fighting him, to just let him take care of her in this twisted way he knew how.
But he crushed the thought ruthlessly, his eyes hardening into cold obsidian steel once more.
"No. She has to understand. She has to accept it. She's mine… whether she wants it or not. I didn't force her to marry me… she chose this."
Outside, the golden rays of morning climbed higher, illuminating the world in calm, peaceful light.
But inside the guest room, Shen Xiao sat unmoving in the shadows, suffocated by a grief buried beneath layers of power, control, and a love so warped it felt more like a curse than salvation.
His gaze remained fixed on the muted carpet beneath his polished shoes, unmoving, unseeing.
The door handle turned softly, indicating that someone was coming in, but he didn't move or turn his head to see who it was.
