Ruthless Romance

Chapter 7: Help Me

With terror-widened eyes, Wen Yan realized that Mu Tingchen had already consumed a considerable amount of alcohol. The strong scent of liquor on his breath couldn't have come from just that small sip moments ago.

His kiss was domineering and possessive, gradually consuming her breath until she felt she might suffocate. When he finally pulled back slightly, it was clear he had no intention of letting her go.

"The food will get cold!" Wen Yan cried out desperately.

Mu Tingchen was like two different people when sober versus intoxicated. While drinking revealed his true nature bit by bit, his sober self maintained the gentle, refined image the world knew him for.

Wen Yan understood this all too well. She trembled in fear, while Shen Jie's words echoed in her mind: "I like you. Wait for me until I return. Please wait for me."

Mu Tingchen pushed her onto the bed behind her. "Two hours is too much time to waste on eating."

With the light behind him, she couldn't clearly see his expression on that face that countless women desired. She didn't dare look directly at him, but she could sense his simmering anger.

Wen Yan grabbed his hand frantically. "Please don't..."

Her pleading tone and vulnerable appearance only served to intensify his desire.

"But your eyes have been tempting me," he murmured, his fingers tracing her features. "They always have. If you didn't want this, why do you keep looking at me?"

His voice was husky, carrying a deadly allure.

"Mu Tingchen..." she whimpered, "I... I'm having my period..."

His dark eyes bore into her, seemingly trying to determine the truth of her words.

She held her breath, grateful for her earlier preparation. As long as he didn't check personally, he wouldn't discover her lie.

To Wen Yan's despair, this didn't deter Mu Tingchen...

The next morning, Wen Yan awoke with a start, shocked to find herself in Mu Tingchen's bed. In all her years at the Mu residence, despite countless visits to his room, she had never once slept here.

Remembering the previous night's events, her cheeks flushed crimson. Fighting through a splitting headache, she rose and dressed herself. Though they hadn't gone all the way, they had done everything else. Even though she had anticipated something like this might happen, it still left an uncomfortable knot in her chest.

Last night's dinner still sat untouched on the coffee table. As she carried the tray downstairs, Mrs. Liu seemed particularly cheerful, happily taking the tray from her and pressing a jianbing (Chinese crepe) into her hands.

"Eat up, I know you love these," Mrs. Liu beamed. "The young master is so good to you. He rushed back just to celebrate your birthday in those few hours he had. You should have seen how hurried he was when he left..."

Wen Yan remained silent, internally bitter about Mu Tingchen making time in his busy schedule just to treat her that way.

Before she could leave for school, Mrs. Liu wrapped a hand-knitted scarf around her neck. "Better hide those marks on your neck."

The morning light seemed harsh and unforgiving as Wen Yan made her way to school, the weight of the scarf around her neck feeling more like a collar than comfort. The previous night had shifted something fundamental in her relationship with Mu Tingchen, crossing lines that could never be uncrossed.

She touched her neck gingerly, feeling the tender spots hidden beneath the wool. These marks were physical reminders of how complicated her life had become – caught between Shen Jie's pure affection and Mu Tingchen's possessive desire.

The contrast between the two men couldn't be starker. Shen Jie's confession had been gentle, respectful, asking for nothing but time and hope. Mu Tingchen's actions were demanding, taking what he wanted without permission or explanation. One man offered her a future; the other reminded her of her chains to the past.

Mrs. Liu's words about Mu Tingchen rushing back for her birthday took on a darker meaning now. Was it truly consideration that brought him back, or possessiveness? The thought that he might have cut short his business trip just to assert his control over her was both frightening and confusing.

The jianbing in her hand grew cold as she walked, her appetite gone. Even Mrs. Liu's well-meaning gesture felt like another reminder of her trapped situation. The housekeeper saw romance where there was only obligation, interpreted possession as affection.

Every step toward school felt like an attempt to escape, yet she knew she would return to the Mu residence that evening, as she always did. Her debt to the family – or more specifically, to Mu Tingchen – wasn't something she could simply walk away from, no matter how complicated things became.

The morning air was crisp and cold against her flushed cheeks, and she pulled the scarf tighter, both grateful for and resentful of its protection. It concealed the evidence of last night but also served as a constant reminder of her position in the Mu household – always at someone else's mercy, always hiding something, always walking the fine line between gratitude and fear.

As she approached the school gates, she forced herself to straighten her shoulders and adopt a neutral expression. She had become skilled at compartmentalizing her life – the obedient ward at home, the quiet student at school. But now, with Shen Jie's confession still fresh in her mind and Mu Tingchen's marks on her skin, maintaining these separate personas felt increasingly impossible.

The day ahead seemed impossibly long, yet she dreaded its end and the inevitable return home. Something had fundamentally changed in her relationship with Mu Tingchen, and she had no idea how to navigate this new territory. The rules that had governed their interactions for years suddenly seemed insufficient, leaving her adrift in uncertain waters.