The morning after the gala, Ha An Nhien woke up in a state of utter exhaustion. The bruises on her body had faded, but the pain in her heart had not. She was still haunted by Tran Gia Minh's covetous gaze and Lanh Thien Phong's possessive kiss. Both wanted her in their own ways, and she, was merely a puppet on strings.
The phone in her room suddenly rang. It was Housekeeper Lee's number. "The Young Master has returned. You may come down for breakfast," her voice was flat.
Ha An Nhien changed into a simple outfit and went down to the dining room. Lanh Thien Phong was already there, reading a newspaper with an impassive face. The morning light streamed through the window, highlighting the sharp contours of his face, making him appear even colder and more inscrutable.
He said nothing, merely gestured for her to sit. Breakfast passed in familiar silence. Ha An Nhien tried to eat calmly, but her heart was in turmoil. She recalled what she had overheard from Tran Gia Minh last night: secret calls, familiar names in the business world, and a plan to "deal with" some old business partners he called "traitors."
After breakfast, Lanh Thien Phong abruptly stood up. "Follow me."
He led her into a secret room she had never seen in the penthouse. The room was fully equipped with large computer screens, listening devices, and digital maps. This was clearly the command center for his plan.
"This is Tran Gia Minh and his accomplices," Lanh Thien Phong pointed to a complex diagram on the large screen. "The fire fifteen years ago was no accident. It was a conspiracy orchestrated to seize the Lanh family's assets and drive my family to ruin. Tran Gia Minh was the mastermind."
He turned to look at her, his eyes cold but carrying a fleeting trace of pain. "My mother died in that fire. She couldn't escape."
Ha An Nhien stood frozen. Although she had somewhat guessed, hearing him utter this painful truth still shocked her. His pain of losing his mother mingled with her own.
"My plan is almost complete," Lanh Thien Phong continued, his voice filled with hatred. "Today, Tran Gia Minh will sign a major contract with a foreign partner. But he doesn't know that the contract has been altered by me. It will push him into a legal trap with no escape, making him lose everything."
He looked at her, his eyes sharp. "And you, Ha An Nhien, will be the most important witness."
"A witness?" She was surprised.
"That's right. You will have to testify in court, exposing all of Tran Gia Minh's crimes. Do you want to see him pay for what he did to your family?"
A fire of hatred flared in Ha An Nhien's eyes. She did. She very much did. But being a witness meant facing danger, and more importantly, it meant being bound to Lanh Thien Phong forever, not just for the year of that contract.
"Don't worry, I will protect you," Lanh Thien Phong said, as if reading her thoughts. He gently touched her hair, a surprising gesture that made Ha An Nhien shiver. "Just do your part."
After that, Lanh Thien Phong began to instruct her on her role. He explained the intricate details of the lawsuit, how she should answer questions, and the evidence he had gathered. He was terrifyingly intelligent; every step was meticulously calculated, leaving no loophole.
In the afternoon, Lanh Thien Phong received a call. He listened for a moment, then his face suddenly darkened. "What? He's been arrested?"
Ha An Nhien flinched. "Who? Tran Gia Minh?"
Lanh Thien Phong nodded, his eyes filled with a complex expression. "The plan moved faster than expected. He's suspected of involvement in a large-scale money laundering scheme. It seems someone else was targeting him too."
"So... do I still need to testify?" Ha An Nhien asked, a glimmer of hope in her voice.
"Uncertain," Lanh Thien Phong replied, his voice deepening. He turned to look at her, his gaze once again unfathomably deep. "But either way, you are still mine."
He pulled her into an embrace without warning. His hand slid down her waist, drawing her closer to his powerful body. This time, there was none of the raw brutality of previous encounters, but a strong, possessive kiss, filled with raw desire and something more undefinable, a chaotic emotion that seemed to torment him as well. Ha An Nhien tried to resist, but her body betrayed her. She felt the softness of his lips, and a vague fire ignited within her, mingled with humiliation and hatred.
He didn't wait for her consent or acceptance. Right there in the living room, under the dim lights, Lanh Thien Phong lifted her, and she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist. He strode towards the large leather sofa, forcefully throwing her down, then immediately pinned her beneath him. His eyes burned with a primal fire, openly revealing his hunger and demand.
"Now, my prize," he growled, his hand roughly tearing at her thin clothes. Fabric ripped, revealing her pale skin stark against the dark sofa. Ha An Nhien bit her lip hard, feeling her breath catch under his oppressive weight. She tried to turn her face away, but Lanh Thien Phong seized her chin, forcing her to confront his fiery gaze.
"Look at me, Ha An Nhien," he commanded, his voice dripping with power. "Look at whose you are."
He kissed her, giving her no chance to evade. The kiss was fierce, ravaging. His hands relentlessly caressed and explored every curve of her, with absolute possession and authority. Ha An Nhien felt like a small boat in a raging storm, swept away by him with no escape. She clenched her hands, nails digging into her skin, trying to suppress the sobs threatening to break free.
When he began to enter her, Ha An Nhien let out a choked cry. Pain mingled with an inexplicable tremor spreading through her body. He did not slow his pace, utterly uncaring of her shivers or the tears streaming down her temples. Each thrust was powerful, deep, as if he wanted to merge her into one with him, to erase her last vestiges of resistance.
"You can't escape me, Ha An Nhien," he whispered between ragged breaths, his voice hoarse with satisfaction and possession. "You have been marked by me."
The room filled with the sounds of skin meeting skin, his heavy gasps, and her faint sobs. The scent of alcohol, body heat, and a fervent atmosphere enveloped the space. Ha An Nhien squeezed her eyes shut, trying to dissociate from the painful reality. She wanted to feel nothing, but her body betrayed her, every cell sensing his powerful invasion.
Finally, when it was over, Lanh Thien Phong remained heavy on top of her. He breathed raggedly, burying his face in the hollow of her shoulder, his hot breath fanning her sensitive skin. Ha An Nhien lay motionless, feeling every muscle sore, her soul seemingly drained. She hated him, hated herself for this weakness.
He slowly moved away, pulling a thin blanket over her, a small, contradictory gesture. Lanh Thien Phong sat up, looking at her with deep eyes, but this time, the coldness had been replaced by a more complex, weary expression. He said nothing, simply stood up and left the living room, leaving Ha An Nhien alone in the turmoil of her emotions.