Redemption Vows: A CEO's Forced Contract

Rong Jingning turned the key in her hand and opened the gilded villa door adorned with intricate floral patterns. The interior was pitch-black, showing no signs of anyone's return. She smiled self-deprecatingly. Had that man named Lu Chaotan not even stepped foot in their newlywed home? Speaking of Lu Chaotan, though he was now technically her husband, Rong Jingning didn’t even know whether his face was round or flat. This marriage had been entirely orchestrated by her father, Guan Zetian, and she had never met Lu Chaotan prior to this. To her, he remained a complete stranger. Clearly, Lu Chaotan held no interest in her either—otherwise, he wouldn’t have skipped their wedding. Yes, today was supposed to be Rong Jingning and Lu Chaotan’s joyous wedding day, yet the groom had inexplicably vanished. She alone had faced the crowd, explaining his absence under a barrage of sympathetic, disdainful, and mocking gazes, single-handedly completing the ceremony. Even her father, the mastermind behind this union, hadn’t attended. Rumor had it her so-called sister had suddenly fainted, prompting him to rush her to the hospital—leaving no time for his eldest daughter’s wedding. But of course, she wasn’t his biological daughter anyway, merely an "adopted" one. Rong Jingning closed her eyes, her long lashes glistening with tears. No matter how composed and steady her temperament, waves of emotion surged within her now. She was just an ordinary woman. Abandoned by her husband at their wedding, neglected by her father—any other woman might have been driven to despair. Yet she had managed to smile through the rituals, bid farewell to the guests alone, and hold herself together… which already counted as remarkable. Tossing her keys onto the sofa, she slumped down wearily. Having drunk several glasses with guests earlier, her head swam with dizziness. She shut her eyes, teetering on the edge of sleep. Suddenly, a faint noise came from the second floor. Rong Jingning jolted upright, her senses sharpening. As a police officer, she was acutely attuned to subtle sounds. Could it be that Lu Chaotan had finally arrived? The thought felt absurd—why would a man who skipped his wedding suddenly appear at their new home? A burglar seemed far more likely. She rose and crept soundlessly toward the source of the noise, her professional training enabling swift, agile movements. She halted before a tall, silhouetted figure without making a sound. Having entered the villa without turning on lights, the darkness remained impenetrable. Squinting, Rong Jingning could barely discern outlines, including the vague shape of a man’s face. Her vision remained blurred. Acting on reflex, she lashed out with a chopping strike toward the man. The man reacted swiftly, evading her attack. Instantly, their figures tangled in combat. At the police academy, Rong Jingning had been renowned for her combat skills—outmatching even male peers. Yet this man clearly possessed training. He forced her into retreat, leaving her no openings. "Who are you?" she growled, attempting to seize his arms, but he twisted with practiced ease, pinning her body against his. A refreshing masculine scent washed over her, tinged with tobacco and the faint aroma of red wine. Truthfully, she didn’t dislike the smell—in fact, she found it unexpectedly pleasant. Here is the paragraph-by-pararaph translation preserving all original content and sentence structures： "Is that you, Rong Jingning?" The man's voice was deep and magnetic. The corner of his mouth curled upward, his eyes glinting with amusement. This woman was more interesting than he had imagined, but... Suddenly, a beautiful and delicate face surfaced in his mind - not conventionally stunning, yet possessing a soul-stirring charm that could instantly captivate one's heart. That woman was Guan Youxia, the one eternally etched in his memory. The hand gripping Rong Jingning's wrist stiffened imperceptibly as disgust welled up in him. Just as he intended to shove her away violently, he was pulled forward by Rong Jingning's sudden forceful tug, stumbling several steps. They fell to the ground in succession - the woman beneath, the man on top - their bodies pressed tightly together, including two pairs of fiery lips: one burning hot, the other icy cold. Time froze at this moment. The wall clock stopped at 10:12, as if all sounds in the world had been muted. Rong Jingning's heart raced inexplicably. Perhaps this unprecedented intimacy with a man short-circuited her brain, leaving her momentarily paralyzed, somewhat intoxicated by this abrupt kiss instead of pushing the man away. The man pressing down on her also froze momentarily. The woman's scent bore faint resemblance to the one haunting his memories, evoking an unexpected reluctance to withdraw. Only the sudden cry of a night cat outside the window made them simultaneously push each other away violently. Rong Jingning touched her lips in flustered confusion, her voice furious: "Could you possibly be Lu Chaotan?" Rarely did anything provoke such anger in her - whether due to this inexplicable nuisance or the kiss that had momentarily mesmerized her. Lu Chaotan wiped his lips viciously, his face contorted with revulsion: "I am." He must have seen a ghost earlier to detect any trace of her scent on this woman called Rong Jingning, momentarily enchanted like a fool. "Rong Jingning," Lu Chaotan's lips curled into a cold smirk, his tone dripping with frost, "I came today merely because the servants brought the wrong items. I'm just retrieving them, not intending to stay. This villa shall serve as compensation for your losses." Rong Jingning suddenly felt like laughing. What did this man mean? Leaving her the house to draw boundaries? Fine, fine. This suited her perfectly - she had no desire to spend her life with a stranger, especially such an arrogant b*st*rd! "Deal." Rong Jingning smiled faintly. The disgust in Lu Chaotan's eyes intensified. This woman... he'd felt momentary interest, yet she proved no different from others. Even being Guan Zetian's daughter meant nothing! Without another word, Lu Chaotan strode directly toward the exit. In the darkness, the man's tall, straight-backed figure exuded cold, intimidating radiance, though his face ultimately dissolved into shadows, becoming indistinct. Hearing the door slam, Rong Jingning felt an indescribable emotion surge within her. Soon, however, a nonchalant smile reappeared on her lips. Why bother with anger toward some inexplicable stranger? Better wash up and sleep - tomorrow awaited a major case demanding her attention.