"Truly the territory of the Huo family in Shencheng," the driver remarked, his gaze lingering on the magnificent villa perched on the mountainside.
Su Qi offered a faint smile, not engaging in conversation. A sudden wave of nausea washed over her. She covered her mouth, rolled down the car window, and let the cold wind dissipate the acrid taste in her stomach.
"Are you alright?" the driver asked, kindly offering a bottle of water with the cap already opened.
"Thank you," Su Qi replied, taking a sip. Before the water could even go down her throat, she felt a piercing gaze. Following its direction, she saw a Rolls-Royce Phantom parked outside the Huo residence. A man and a woman emerged from the car. The woman, leaning on the man's arm, immediately embraced him upon exiting, her petite frame melting into his.
"Tingyun, you have no idea how happy I am. I'll soon be the happiest bride in the world." The enormous diamond ring on the woman's hand refracted the light from the Huo family's entrance, casting a brilliant sparkle. Whatever the man said, the woman shyly pulled away.
Su Qi met the man's gaze and couldn't help but sneer inwardly. He was truly impatient. Turning away from the scene that pained her, Su Qi shook the water bottle, thanked the driver again, paid the fare, and stepped out to enter the villa.
When she looked up again, only Huo Tingyun remained by the entrance, standing under the streetlamp, smoking.
"Good evening, Mr. Huo," Su Qi greeted with a polite smile. Seeing his frown, a subtle ache bloomed in her heart. "I'll go in first. Mr. Huo, you should go in soon."
As she passed him, her wrist was suddenly seized by his burning palm. Startled, Su Qi instinctively tried to pull away.
"What are you dodging for?! You didn't flinch when that man touched you!" The man's sharp reprimand left Su Qi's mind blank. She had loved Huo Tingyun madly for three years, until she was schemed against, resulting in a double tragedy. After her rebirth, Su Qi had finally made peace with her obsession. She had signed the divorce papers. Tomorrow marked the end of the cooling-off period. For Su Qi, it was a day of liberation.
"It seems Mr. Huo is quite heated today. I'll have Aunt Wu prepare a pot of herbal tea for your room later to cool you down." Su Qi intended to leave, expecting the man to release her. After all, Huo Tingyun had once said that touching her disgusted him. To her surprise, upon hearing her words, Huo Tingyun not only didn't let go but tightened his grip, dragging her into the car.
Caught off guard, Su Qi stumbled, nearly twisting her ankle. She was slender, and the man, nearly six feet tall and powerfully built, tossed her into the back seat as if she were a doll.
"Huo Tingyun!"
Her vision darkened as the man's body obscured the car's starlight ceiling. In the pitch blackness, only his rough breathing remained. A rumbling in Su Qi's stomach felt like an explosion. She never imagined he would pin her down in the back seat of the car. The confined space of the car meant their bodies were pressed tightly together. Even... Su Qi could feel the wild danger emanating from him.
"Huo Tingyun! Are you crazy?! Let me out of here!" Su Qi could no longer remain composed. She reached out to open the car door, but her delicate wrist was caught by his single hand and pinned above her head. At that moment, Su Qi felt like a roast duck on a spit, being seared by Huo Tingyun's body heat. Despite being married for a year, she and Huo Tingyun had only been intimate twice. Yet, each encounter was unforgettable for Su Qi.
"Stop playing the pure maiden. Weren't you quite flirtatious just now? With only one day left, you were eager to bring your little boyfriend. If I hadn't been here, were you planning to bring your little boyfriend into the Huo residence?" Huo Tingyun felt a fire burning in his chest. He didn't know why, but seeing that man touch Su Qi's back had sent his blood rushing to his head.
Huo Tingyun roughly flipped Su Qi over. She was wearing a dress tonight. Unzipping it revealed her fair, delicate back, and below that, her slender waist.
"Tell me, where has your little boyfriend touched you this past month?!" The man's slightly rough palm slid down her back from her neck. For a year after their marriage, she had endured the Huo family's malice and humiliation without retaliation, even from Huo Tingyun. At least then, the elder Mr. Huo had doted on and protected her, and Su Qi had swallowed all her grievances. But now that she and Huo Tingyun were divorcing, she no longer wished to endure such humiliation.
"Huo Tingyun, you'd better let go, or I'll call the police!"
"Feel free to call. I haven't heard of anyone in Shencheng daring to threaten me before. You're the first." Huo Tingyun narrowed his deep, dark eyes. Tonight was the first time he realized Su Qi had changed. From a kitten whose claws had been clipped, she had transformed into a wild leopard with sharp teeth, no longer submissive. In Huo Tingyun's eyes, Su Qi's resistance was merely a prelude to seduction.
Hearing the rustling sound of a belt being unbuckled, Su Qi panicked, struggling more fiercely. But her strength was not even a tenth of his. Her desperate struggle was futile. Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably, and Su Qi felt utter despair.
Suddenly, a voice called out from outside the car, "Tingyun? Tingyun? Strange, where did he go? Lin Yun clearly said he was outside..." Su Qi wasn't foolish. If she didn't call out now, she feared she wouldn't even have bones left.
"Aunt Qin! Tingyun and I are in the car!" Huo Tingyun froze, and Su Qi seized the opportunity to quickly enter the hall. Everyone from the Su family looked over. But the next moment, their gazes shifted away. Su Qi wasn't one to stand on ceremony; after all, she had been a nominal Mrs. Huo for a year of marriage. While the elder Mr. Huo had protected her, now that he had passed away, she could imagine the attitude of the Huo family towards her.
However, Xu Lin Yun glanced over, then smiled and beckoned Su Qi to come sit. "Sister Su Qi, there's still a seat here."
"Lin Yun, you'll be the esteemed young mistress of the Huo family soon. Don't associate with people like her." One of the Huo family relatives nearby whispered a reminder. Su Qi, happening to walk in, naturally heard it, but her expression remained unfettered as she sat beside Xu Lin Yun. Xu Lin Yun simply smiled faintly, ignoring the relative. She came from a privileged background and entered the entertainment industry three years ago to pursue her dreams. With Huo Tingyun's backing, her career had been smooth sailing, with a packed schedule of announcements and films. For the sake of her career, she had even broken up with Huo Tingyun. Three months ago, she finally won the Best Actress award, fulfilling her greatest dream. Smiling, she took Su Qi's hand.
"Sister Su Qi, I only heard your name when I was busy with work before. This is the first time I've seen you today. You're so kind." Su Qi felt for the first time that kindness could sometimes be a derogatory term.