*Chapter 55: The Weight of Shadows*
The weekend brought no relief. Zhao Liang's presence was a constant reminder of the chains that bound her. His movements were deliberate, each touch a command she could not refuse. Li Xue felt herself shrinking inside, body and mind.
Mei Yan encouraged her to attend a small study group, Shen Wei promised to accompany her, but the penthouse always loomed, waiting to reclaim her attention.
Han Qiang faced the fallout of his business setbacks, sharing laughs and frustration with Shen Wei, and yet their thoughts drifted often to Li Xue, wishing they could shield her from the relentless fear.
Li Xue closed her math notebook that night, tears prickling her eyes. Fear, contract, and past promises mingled in her chest. Outside, the city moved on, oblivious to the shadowed cage she lived in. Yet, despite everything, she clung to threads of hope — threads interwoven with friends, fleeting freedom, and the faintest memory of a life she had once believed in.