Leo shoved the tablet toward Martin with a violent force. "Stay here," he ordered sharply, before leaping out of the car with long, predatory strides.
"Hello, Kevin."
The cold voice emerged from behind Celine. Instantly, her body went rigid. A sickening chill crawled from the nape of her neck down to her toes.
"Leo?" Kevin hissed, his face draining of color.
Without warning, Leo seized Celine's arm and yanked her so hard she stumbled, crashing into his chest. It felt as solid as a wall of stone. Kevin winced at the display of brutality.
"What are you doing!" Kevin cried out, reaching to take Celine's hand back.
With a lightning-fast movement, Leo batted Kevin's hand away. His eyes blazed, swirling with a dark, suffocating jealousy. "She is my wife now. Do not touch her without my permission."
Celine's eyes widened. That admission hit her like a sledgehammer. A wave of bitter disappointment flooded her chest. Leo had broken his promise to keep this marriage a secret from everyone.
"Leo!" Celine fought back, trying to wrench herself free from his painful grip. "You promised you wouldn't tell anyone about the marriage!"
"Yes, for everyone else," Leo countered, his gaze challenging Kevin provocatively. "But for Kevin, I won't hide it. He needs to know that you belong to me, Celine."
Kevin took a step forward, his jaw tightening. "So you forced her to marry you, Leo?"
"Exactly. I want her to suffer, and I will never let you have her." The threat slipped coldly from Leo's lips.
Kevin's hand balled into a fist. With every ounce of strength he possessed, he swung, his fist connecting squarely with Leo's cheek.
BUG!
The sound of the impact cracked through the air.
Martin and Axel, who had been watching from a distance, immediately rushed forward. But as the bodyguards moved to retaliate, Leo raised a hand, signaling them to stop.
"No need," Leo said flatly, wiping a bead of blood from the corner of his mouth.
"Celine... one day, I will take her from you!" Kevin roared, his voice thick with rage.
Leo actually laughed, a dry, mocking sound. "With what? The power of an amateur lawyer?"
Seeing the situation spiral out of control, Celine tried to intervene. "Kevin... you should go now. I'll be fine."
Kevin hesitated, but he realized his position was hopeless. With a heavy heart, he stepped back. "I'm leaving, Celine. Take care of yourself."
"Thank you, Kevin," Celine whispered, her voice wilting.
Kevin finally sped away in his car, leaving Celine trapped in Leo's harsh grasp. As soon as Kevin's car disappeared from sight, Celine jerked her arm away with all her might, stumbling backward.
"This marriage does not give you the right to do whatever you want! I am not an object, and I do not belong to you!" Celine cried, her voice trembling with mounting fury.
"Who says?" Leo smirked coldly. In one swift motion, he hooked his arm around her waist, pulling her body flush against his until there was no space left between them.
"Do you really think you have the power to fight me, hm?" Leo whispered, his tone low and intimidating. "Let's go home, My Wife."
Leo dragged Celine toward the car by force.
"Let go, Leo! I haven't said goodbye to my mother, and my bag is still inside!" Celine struggled, trying to break the iron grip on her wrist.
Leo remained unmoved. He turned a deaf ear to every protest that left her lips.
Leo shoved Celine into the backseat before slamming the door shut. He circled the car and climbed in beside her, trapping her in a cabin that suddenly felt suffocating.
Martin took his place in the front passenger seat while Axel sat behind the wheel.
"Drive," Leo instructed, his words short and sharp. The anger he had been holding back now dominated the atmosphere inside the car, making everyone else afraid to speak.
The moment they set foot in his palatial home, Leo dragged Celine mercilessly, forcing her up the stairs toward the second-floor bedroom. Celine nearly tripped several times, but Leo's grip on her wrist never loosened.
The bedroom door slammed shut, the sound echoing through the house. Without a pause, he threw Celine onto the massive bed in the center of the room. The mattress bounced, but the ache in Celine's back was nothing compared to the fear beginning to crawl over her.
"Leo! What are you going to do!" Celine screamed hysterically. She tried to scramble away, but Leo's powerful hands were faster. He seized her shoulders and pinned her flat against the bed.
With a brutal movement, Leo pinned both of Celine's hands above her head, locking them down with a single hand until she was helpless. His breath was shallow and fast, his eyes darkened by a mix of rage and obsession.
Leo stifled her cries with an aggressive, demanding kiss. He crushed his lips against hers, ignoring her whimpers until the metallic taste of blood began to rise between them. Her lip was cut. Celine continued to struggle, trying to turn her head away, but her strength was nothing more than a minor nuisance to him.
Celine's resistance slowly faded. Her body grew weak, and she was forced to surrender to the crushing dominance. With one rough jerk, Leo tore her clothes until they were ruined, letting the fabric fall away uselessly.
With frantic speed, Leo stripped off his own clothes, driven by a dark lust. As Leo took possession of her body again, Celine could only close her eyes. Tears flowed freely, soaking the pillow. She wept in a painful surrender to Leo's treatment, which left no room for mercy.
"Aggk!"
A stifled shriek escaped Celine's lips as Leo forced himself inside her without warning. A sharp, stinging pain shattered her defenses.
"You need to realize where you stand now, Celine," he growled in her ear. Without giving her a moment to breathe, he began to move with a rough, demanding tempo.
"Ah …"
A gasp accidentally escaped her. It was a confusing sound, a blur of deep pain and a foreign sensation beginning to creep through her nerves.
"Moan for me, Celine. I know you enjoy it," Leo whispered in a hoarse, triumphant voice. He increased his pace, as if trying to drown her in his control.
Celine turned her face to the side, biting her lower lip hard. She tried desperately to silence herself, refusing to give his ego any satisfaction. However, her resolve crumbled when Leo's fingers intentionally found her most sensitive spots, timing his touch with his racing rhythm.
"Ah… ah…"
The sounds escaped her, betraying her desire to stay silent. Celine lost control over her own body as waves of agonizing heat began to blur her sanity.
"Yes. Like that. Louder, Celine. I love your voice," Leo said with a dark smirk, continuing to drive the passion between them until it reached its peak.
"Aaaarrghh!"
A long, heavy groan escaped Leo as he finally reached his release. His breath hitched, ragged against the hollow of Celine's neck, before his heavy frame finally collapsed to her side.
Celine lay still. Only the thundering beat of her own heart filled her ears. She exhaled a long breath, a sigh of pure relief that the storm of Leo's anger had finally passed.
With trembling fingers, she reached for the edge of the tangled duvet, pulling it slowly to cover her bare body. Beside her, Leo seemed to fall asleep instantly. His breathing was now steady and calm, a stark contrast to the chaos he had just created.