His voice was an order, not a request.
Anya looked at the papers—Marriage Contract.
She was stunned.
"What is this joke? Is some drama going on here? Where the hero says 'sign it' and the heroine obediently does? I won't sign this!"
A dark storm rose in Zain's eyes. He stepped closer.
"Stop talking nonsense, Anya."
"Why?" Anya's voice trembled, but there was courage in it.
"Why do you want to marry me? There is no match between us. You're like a king, and I'm just an ordinary person. There's a world of difference in our status!"
Zain came so close that Anya could feel his cold breath on her face.
"Marry me, Anya. Then you'll become my 'queen'… and our status will automatically be equal."
"No!" Anya screamed.
"You can't force me. I don't owe you anything, and you have nothing that you can use to scare me!"
Zain leaned close to her ear. His voice was a deadly whisper.
"Really? Don't forget—your mother is out of town. And your brother… he's at his café right now, isn't he? I know the name of his café, its address, and every single move he makes."
The blood drained from Anya's face. She froze like stone.
Still, she clenched her fists.
"No… you won't do that."
Zain's patience snapped.
"Fine. Then I'll have to step into my real world."
He suddenly grabbed Anya's hand and pulled her toward himself. Anya struggled, but Zain's grip was iron-strong. He trapped her from behind in his arms, twisted her wrist, forced a pen into her hand, and made her sign the papers against her will.
"Let me go! You're a wolf! A devil!" Anya screamed, hitting his broad chest with her fists. Hot tears streamed from her eyes and fell onto Zain's hand.
Zain's heart twisted painfully at the sight of her tears, but not a single emotion showed on his face. Inside, he kept telling himself—This is for your protection, Anya. The world is cruel.
Outwardly, he remained stone.
Just then, the phone on his table rang.
The screen flashed: 'Little Brother'.
Anya lunged to grab the phone, but Zain's long arm reached it first. He answered the call and put it on speaker.
"Hello, didi? Have you reached home? Why wasn't your phone reachable?"
Lu Wei's worried voice echoed.
Zain looked at Anya with a sly smile and said into the phone,
"Hello, brother-in-law! Don't worry. Your sister is with me—and she's perfectly safe."
Silence fell on the other side.
Jian was stunned.
"Mr. Zain? You… what are you doing with my sister? And what did you just call me?"
Zain slid an arm around Anya's waist and pulled her closer while Anya helplessly tried to break free.
"Maybe you haven't heard the news, Lu Wei… Anya and I have just decided to get married. We'll be feeding you sweets very soon."
"What?! Didi, is this true, or is this one of his tricks?" Lu Wei shouted.
Anya couldn't speak. Zain increased the pressure of his fingers around her throat—a silent warning.
Sobbing, Anya said,
"Y-yes, Jian… everything is fine. I'll talk to you later."
Zain cut the call and threw the phone onto the table.
Anya glared at Zain in fury.
Her eyes now held a mix of helplessness and hatred.
She looked straight into Zain's eyes and said,
"You're a wolf, Zain Yan… but remember, even wolves die inside their own cages."
A terrifying yet deep smile appeared on Zain's face. He stepped so close that their noses almost touched. He gently tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear—like a hunter caressing his prey.
"If dying in this cage is my fate, Anya… then I won't die alone. I'll drag you to hell with me. From now on, every beat of your heart bears Zain Yan's seal."
Anya trembled. She understood—she was no longer free.
She had become Zain's 'possession', something he would protect from the world and burn in the fire of his hatred.
Zain told himself that Anya's tears didn't affect him—at least that's what he tried to believe. But the moment Anya ran out of the room crying, his expression changed.
He slammed his fist onto the table.
He didn't like seeing Anya cry, yet he couldn't set her free either.
Qian stood at the door, watching everything.
"Sir, you forced her—but can you face the hatred in her heart?"
Zain placed his wine glass on the table and stared out at the lights of Shenzhen. His eyes replayed the horrifying scene of the wounded goon writhing in pain.
"I don't need her heart," Zain said coldly.
"I need her presence. Hatred flows in both our blood, Qian."
His mind replayed that moment—
The dying man had clutched Zain's coat with blood-soaked hands and whispered in a trembling voice:
"You… you're looking for Lu Kang? But the real hunter is the 'Dragon King'. Lu Kang was just his pawn—now on the run. Dragon King wants Anya… because she is the key to Lu Kang's final secret. If he gets her, the entire city will burn."
Present
Zain's fist clenched tightly.
"Qian," he said without turning around,
"Dragon King is no ordinary criminal. He is a shadow even someone as vile as Lu Kang fears."
Qian asked in shock,
"So sir, are you really doing all this for Anya's protection?"
"Yes," Zain replied with firm resolve.
"She may be Lu Kang's niece—but she is my wife. Without my permission, no one can touch her… not even death. This marriage is her shield.
No one—not even the Dragon King—dares to lay a hand on Mrs. Yan."