Eternal Marriage

Helping You Remember

The sharp pain in Gu Xiaoruan’s left arm jolted her awake, the taste of blood and something metallic—his—lingering on her tongue. Huang Tingyue’s fingers tightened around her throat, his breath a chilling contrast to the warmth of their entwined bodies. “Still not resisting?” he taunted, his voice a dangerous purr.

“Your Excellency must be joking,” she rasped, forcing a smile through the haze of pain. “After yesterday, I’ve learned my lesson. My arm… it hurts quite a bit.”

She’d come to a cold realization. This man harbored no affection for her—only the cold calculation of a predator sizing up its prey. Had she ever truly understood him, or had time turned his heart to ice?

“Was it an accident that night?” His question sliced through the silence, his gaze drilling into her like a scalpel.

Gu Xiaoruan’s heart raced, but she pasted on a saccharine smile. “Of course not. I was… compliant. My resistance was merely to catch your attention.”

“Lu Zhongsheng,” he ordered, straightening his rumpled white shirt with practiced nonchalance. “Stay away from him. I’ll arrange his… future.”

Anger flared in her chest, but she swallowed it down. “No objections. I’ve thought it through. Your status is… impressive. If it’s just surrogacy, I can accept it. After all, I’m not at a loss.”

“You think I’d believe a word you say?” He yanked her swollen hand, his grip punishing. “You’re playing a dangerous game, little bird.”

“Ouch! Are you trying to kill me?” she screamed, her voice breaking. For a fleeting moment, his cold mask faltered, his grip loosening. “Is that all you’ve got?”

“Not even close,” she shot back, tugging his tie to bring him closer. The scent of his cologne—clean and lethal—wafted over her, mingling with the faint scent of her own fear. “What happens next… you should know.”

“Are you afraid, Your Excellency? Or is there something… smaller you’re worried about?” She traced his Adam’s apple with a finger, her lips glistening like ripe cherries. “Not… big enough to satisfy?”

Huang Tingyue’s eyes narrowed to slits, his control slipping. “You dare?”

Before she could react, his mouth crashed down on hers, his tongue invading her mouth with a ferocity that left her breathless. She let him take what he wanted, all the while reaching for the ashtray on the bedside table.

“Hmm… you’re right,” she cooed, her fingers curling around the cold ceramic. “I guess I’ll have to… remind you.”

He froze, his eyelashes fluttering as he succumbed to the blow. Gu Xiaoruan kicked him aside, her heart pounding with a mix of triumph and dread. “Sorry, but I can’t let you die. No sacrifice is too great for the big bad wolf.”

She opened the French doors to the balcony, the night air cool against her skin. Tying the bedsheet into a makeshift rope, she whispered, “Time to play the damsel in distress.”

“Help! The President has collapsed!” she screamed, her voice echoing through the castle. Alarms blared, and footsteps thundered below.

Gu Xiaoruan slipped out the window, her heart racing. The guards would be distracted by the chaos—now was her chance.