Anya's mind was filled with a strange concoction of revenge and scenes from Korean dramas. She put on the 'Dusty Rose' dress that lay scattered on the bed, but her heart held not a shred of respect for Zain.
Anya looked at herself in the mirror—the dress truly suited her, but she forced the dampness in her eyes to turn into a flare of rage. Her gaze fixed on a heavy porcelain vase sitting in the corner of the room. With her blurred vision, she estimated the distance.
She thought to herself— "Zain Yan, do you think you've caged a mere bird? Today, I'll show you what this 'wildcat' can do."
She picked up the heavy vase and hid behind the wall right next to the door. Her heart was pounding so hard she felt a pang in her ribs. She remembered a scene from a Korean thriller drama where the heroine knocked the villain unconscious by hitting him over the head. That same plan was racing through Anya's mind.
Thud... thud... thud...
The sound of Zain's footsteps echoed in the hallway. Anya gripped the vase tightly with both hands. Her knuckles had turned white.
The doorknob turned. A creak...
As the door opened and Zain's tall shadow entered the room, Anya swung the vase through the air with all her might, aiming straight for Zain's head.
"Shatter!"
But Zain was no ordinary man. His predatory instincts were razor-sharp. The moment he felt the rush of air, he didn't even turn; with lightning reflexes, he raised his hand and snatched Anya's wrist mid-air.
The vase stopped a mere inch away from Zain's head.
Zain turned slowly. There was no fear on his face, only a terrifying, cold smirk. He squeezed Anya's wrist so hard that the vase slipped from her hand and fell onto the carpet—it didn't break, but Anya's hopes certainly did.
"Stop watching dramas, Anya," Zain's voice was a deep growl. He jerked her toward him, sending her crashing directly against his broad chest.
"What did you think? That you'd take down a man who has stared death in the face with a 'vase'?" Zain wrenched her arm behind her back and pinned her against the wall.
Anya winced in pain. "Let go of me! You... you aren't human!"
Zain leaned his face close to her neck. "Rule Number 9, Anya. Did you forget? You've just traded one of your brother's fingers."
Tears of terror streamed down Anya's face. "No! Zain, please... don't do anything to Wei! He's innocent!"
Zain tightened his grip on her neck and stared into her eyes. "Then stay in your place. This isn't a drama; this is reality. And the reality is, you aren't going anywhere tonight."
He shoved Anya onto the bed and began unbuttoning his shirt. "Now, lie down quietly. You remember Rule Number 7, don't you? 'Nightly Submission.' And your punishment today is that you will stay awake all night and witness your defeat in my eyes."
Anya lay huddled on the bed, her breath coming in quick gasps. Zain gave her a cold look and then, without a word, went to take a shower.
When he emerged a short while later, Anya's eyes widened in shock.
The Transformation: Zain's Casual Side
Zain had discarded his stiff suit. He was wearing only a loose grey T-shirt and black pajama pants. His hair was still damp, and a few droplets of water slid from his forehead down to his neck. In this casual look, he didn't look like a ruthless businessman, but rather like a handsome student from a top-tier college.
His broad chest and strong shoulders were clearly visible even through the loose T-shirt. Anya's heart skipped a beat. She couldn't believe this was the same 'wolf' who had terrified her just moments ago. He looked so devastatingly attractive that any girl would lose her heart to him.
The Confrontation: Bed or Sofa?
Zain dried his hair with a towel, turned toward Anya, and said in a deep voice,
"Just lie here quietly, understood? If you try any more stunts, Mrs. Yan... it won't take me long to turn Rule Number 9 into reality."
Anya gathered her courage and clutched a pillow to her chest. "I... I won't sleep on this bed with you! I'll sleep on the sofa."
A mischievous, dark smirk played on Zain's lips. He locked his cold eyes onto Anya's and slowly gestured toward the sofa.
"Fine," Zain said effortlessly. "Then I'll sleep there too."
Anya was stunned. "What? Are you crazy? That sofa is too small, both of us there—"
"Rule Number 7, Anya," Zain interrupted her mid-sentence. He began walking slowly toward her. "You have to stay by my side. If not on the bed, then the sofa it is. And believe me, on that small sofa, we'll be 'much closer.' Is that really what you want?"
Anya's face flushed crimson. She realized Zain wasn't going to let her go under any circumstances. Zain folded his arms and leaned against the wall, waiting to see what Anya would decide.
Anya took a long breath and, clutching the pillow tightly, said, "Fine... I'll sleep on the bed."
Zain looked at her with a deep smirk. His damp hair and loose T-shirt made him look dangerously handsome. He lay down on the other side of the bed, tucked his arm under his head, and spoke, "So... are you ready? You remember Rule Number 7, right, Mrs. Yan?"
There was a resonance in Zain's voice that made Anya's skin crawl. Anya's heart began to race. She feared Zain was about to demand his conditions be met, but she gathered her courage and immediately pulled the blanket over her head.
"No! I'm... I'm very sleepy!" Anya said in a muffled voice from under the blanket.
She curled up completely under the blanket out of fear and squeezed her eyes shut. She didn't move at all, trying her best to show that she had fallen into a deep sleep, even though her heart was still beating like a drum.
Zain looked at the heap of blankets and laughed softly. He knew it was just a childish act.
"You're quite good at pretending to sleep, Anya," Zain whispered, leaning close to her ear. "But remember, a prey can never hide from a wolf. Sleep for now... your new trial begins tomorrow morning."
Zain switched off the light. Silence blanketed the room, but even in the darkness, Anya could feel the warmth of Zain's breath and the scent of his expensive perfume.
Anya slowly moved the blanket aside. She saw that Zain was fast asleep, his damp hair scattered on the pillow, looking quite peaceful in his loose T-shirt. Anya was starving—after all, she hadn't eaten a single bite since last night.
She put on her glasses and tidied her tangled, shoulder-length hair with her fingers. She tiptoed out of the room and headed toward the kitchen. As soon as she opened the fridge, her eyes lit up. There sat her favorite Dark Chocolate Cake and plenty of other food.
"Wow..." Anya's mouth watered. She looked around to make sure no one was there, then, like a small child, she broke off a large piece of cake without a plate and started eating. Chocolate was smeared on her cheeks, but she didn't care.
After eating, she couldn't fall back to sleep. She tiptoed into the living room and turned on the massive TV. "It wasn't written in any rule that I can't watch TV," she whispered to herself, putting on an old Korean drama and sitting on the sofa.
But she had forgotten that even the walls of this house had ears.
Suddenly, a cold and deep voice echoed through the darkness, "Stealing chocolate cake and watching TV at 3:00 AM... is this also part of your 'plan,' Mrs. Yan?"
Anya jumped! She turned around to see Zain standing behind the sofa, hands in his pockets, with that same playful yet dangerous smirk on his face.