Chapter 3: Tonight Is Our Wedding Night
1001 Words
The door pushed open with a heavy creak, and the sharp scent of alcohol drifted in. Lăng Nam stepped inside, his tall frame swaying slightly. His dark eyes landed on the figure by the window—Lam Vy, his bride.
For an instant, he hesitated. She was still there. Waiting. Moonlight poured over her delicate form, and for a fleeting moment, surprise flickered through him. It was late, the night of their wedding, and she had remained.
He walked closer, his gaze narrowing. She had dozed off, her head tilted lightly against the window frame. The soft glow of the night only magnified her beauty. Her midnight hair spilled like a waterfall down to her waist, swaying gently in the breeze. The gown she wore clung to her slender figure, the hem lifting just enough to reveal a pale curve of her calf against the ivory carpet—smooth, flawless, like porcelain crafted by a master’s hand.
The moon kissed her forehead, her lashes quivering faintly against her cheeks. Her lips, red and parted ever so slightly, looked maddeningly soft—an unspoken temptation, as though inviting sin.
She was nothing like An Vu An. That woman carried scars of experience that stirred his pity. But this girl—this wife fate had bound to him—radiated an innocence that unsettled him, a sincerity he didn’t know how to name.
“Exquisite,” he muttered, lips curling into a sardonic smile. He had rejected this marriage, despised it for being a transaction. And yet, faced with her now, he could not deny the pull she had on him.
He bent down and slipped his arms beneath her, lifting her easily. She stirred faintly but did not wake as he laid her onto the bed. For a long moment, he only looked at her—then reached out, fingers brushing across her cheek. Without realizing it, the harshness etched into his face had softened.
“Mmm…” A faint sound escaped her lips as she curled closer to the warmth of his hand, pressing her face against his palm. The movement struck him deep inside, sending a sharp tremor through his chest.
Her lashes fluttered, and slowly her eyes opened. Surprise and confusion flickered across her face.
“Nam? You… you came back?” Her voice was trembling, fragile with both relief and disbelief.
Her gaze met his. A few strands of dark hair fell across his brow, framing features too handsome, too sharp—arched brows, eyes black and unreadable, a straight nose, lips that curved with dangerous calm. His presence filled her vision, cold and overwhelming.
It was him. Lăng Nam.
Her heart stuttered wildly. What had he done? What was he going to do? And yet, beneath the fear, a fragile warmth stirred—something dangerously close to hope.
He leaned closer still, until his face hovered just above hers, every line of him dominating, stealing her breath. She tensed, her pulse racing, torn between panic and a trembling anticipation she could not name.
Lăng Nam’s chest tightened. The shy, almost clumsy way Lam Vy looked at him tugged at something he hadn’t expected. He leaned down—but her small hands rose, pressing lightly against his chest.
“Nam… I…” Her voice was unsteady, her wide eyes clouded with fear. The intensity in his gaze terrified her. She was no naïve girl, yet she had never truly shared a night with him, and the reality left her trembling.
He gave a dark, crooked smile, sharp enough to freeze the air.
“What’s wrong? Don’t like it? You married me, Lam Vy. Don’t forget—tonight is our wedding night.”
His cold words pierced her heart like needles. She bit her lip, lowering her head.
“I… I’m not used to this yet…”
For a heartbeat, something flickered in him. He tilted her chin up, his breath brushing her ear as he murmured, voice low and sinful:
“Do you even realize… looking like this, you’re tempting me to sin?”
Her eyes widened. His masculine breath surrounded her, pressing down on her senses. She turned her face away—but in the movement, her soft lips brushed against the corner of his mouth.
“I-I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to!” she stammered, panic rising when his gaze darkened, black as midnight.
He caught her and pulled her back to him, forcing her to meet his eyes.
“Kỳ family’s precious daughter, using innocence as a leash. Foolish… but I like it.”
His grip on her wrists tightened, holding her still as his presence pressed down on her. His voice lowered, husky and dangerous, words brushing against her skin like heat.
“Nam… you’re drunk… stop, please…” Her voice quivered, confusion and fear tangled in her tone.
“Stop?” His lips twisted into a cold smile. “You’re my lawful wife. If I want you close, you should be grateful, not afraid.” His voice softened into something like a lover’s whisper, yet beneath it lay provocation, designed to break down her defenses.
Her heart pounded. The gentleness in his tone made her dizzy, unraveling her resolve.
She trembled, eyes squeezing shut, feeling the storm of tension wrap around her. Slowly, warmth spread through her, setting both body and soul ablaze in a fire she did not understand.
His gaze burned with something sharp, almost cruel. He bent close, growling in her ear, commanding:
“Open your eyes. Look at me.”
She obeyed, eyes fluttering open—wide, glassy, brimming with innocence and panic. She was utterly lost, not knowing what to do.
“You use your beauty well…” His voice was a growl, his self-control hanging by a thread.
The night pressed in, shadows deepening. What happened after was swallowed in silence—only the pounding of her heart and the heat of his nearness remained, pulling her into a world she wasn’t ready for, yet couldn’t escape.
- Writer
