The atmosphere had shifted completely—hatred had been replaced by a new conspiracy where a 'triangle' was about to form between Anya, Fengning, and Lu Wei.
Zain immediately wrapped his arm tightly around Anya's waist, pulling her toward him with a fake but heart-winning smile. Zain pinched Anya's waist, which meant— 'Keep your mouth shut and continue the act.'
The Under-Table Warfare
The dining hall of the magnificent 'Yan Mansion' looked like a royal court. Countless Chinese delicacies were laid out on the table, their aroma wafting through the air. Madam Xuyana, adjusting her silk sleeves, watched Anya with a rare look of satisfaction.
Zain and Anya sat side-by-side. Zain lovingly peeled a prawn and placed it on Anya's plate, looking like the most caring husband in the world. Anya kept her fake smile plastered on her face, though she was suffocating inside.
Xuyana: (Proudly) "Anya, my son has been a 'gentleman' from the very beginning. He has never even looked at another girl. I was afraid he would bring home some arrogant model or a spoiled girl from a wealthy family as his bride... but he chose you. Your simplicity has won my heart."
A bite almost got stuck in Anya's throat. She lowered her gaze and forced a laugh.
"Gentleman??" Anya screamed in her mind. "If you saw his 12 terrifying rules—nightly submission, ownership of the body, threats to kill my brother—you'd drop him at an asylum yourself! He isn't a gentleman; he's a calculated wolf!"
Then—
Anya felt something on her leg under the table. A heavy, warm, and strong foot was slowly crawling up from her ankle.
Anya's body went as rigid as a stone. Her breath hitched. She looked at Zain out of the corner of her eye. Zain was nonchalantly sipping his wine and discussing business with his father, Zhenyu, as if he knew nothing. But under the table, his foot was asserting his right over Anya's legs—a silent reminder of Rules 4 and 7.
Anya tried to pull her leg back, but Zain strengthened his grip. There was a mischievous, cold, and lethal glint in his eyes. He was enjoying the expressions on Anya's face.
Anya's face began to flush with shame and anger. She gripped the tablecloth tightly with her fingers.
Fengning: (Cheerfully) sister in law why are you turning so red? Are you blushing from the 'gentleman' praise for brother?"
Anya looked at Zain, who very innocently placed his hand on Anya's shoulder and pulled her toward him.
Zain: "Yes Fengning, your sister-in-law is still unable to handle the 'feeling' of this new relationship. Isn't that right, Anya? Are you feeling my presence... 'too much'?"
Anya squeezed her eyes shut. Zain's foot was now moving further up under the table. She realized this dinner wasn't a gathering; it was Zain's new game to make her feel helpless in front of everyone.The Performance & The Lift Story
Silence hung in the grand dining hall, broken only by the light clinking of silver cutlery. On one side of the table sat Zhenyu and Xuyana with royal dignity, as if seated on high thrones. Directly opposite them were Zain and Anya, with Fengning between them, enjoying the scene with her mischievous eyes.
Zain, who was usually as cold as an ice cliff, had transformed completely. With his long, well-shaped fingers, he slowly picked up a bowl of soup and slid it toward Anya with great finesse.
The Performance of Love
In Zain's eyes today, there wasn't that 'sharp' sting; instead, he had filled his gaze with a calculated 'softness.' He leaned down and whispered something into Anya's ear—so close that Anya could feel his warm breath on her neck.
Anya's body froze for a moment. A pink hue rushed to her cheeks, a mix of anger and shock. But Zain didn't stop there; with a tender gesture, he placed a choice morsel on Anya's plate. His eyes held an expression as if Anya were the center of his universe.
Xuyana was watching all of this. A deep smile of satisfaction touched her lips. She looked at Zhenyu and signaled with her eyes, "Look, our son has finally changed."
Anya's Struggle
A storm was raging inside Anya. She didn't know how to react to this 'fake love.' She looked at Zain's face, which resembled the cunning hero of a C-Novel who is an expert at deceiving the world.
She gave Zain a 'dangerous' look from behind her glasses, but as soon as her gaze met Xuyana's, she immediately lowered her eyes and gave a shy smile.
Fengning was moving her legs under the table, a sparkle in her eyes. She looked at her brother and then at her 'Bhabhi.' She knew this was all an act, but in this act, she saw a path to getting closer to Lu Wei.
Silence fell over the dinner table when Madam Xuyana's sharp eyes fixed on Anya's bare hands. She asked sternly, "Anya, where is your wedding ring? And why did you two marry so suddenly? Did you know each other before?"
The food caught in Anya's throat. She was about to stammer when Zain gripped her hand tightly under the table.
Zain: (In a deeply loving and lying voice) "Mom, actually the ring size was a bit loose, so I sent it this morning for polishing and readjustment. And as for our meeting..."
Zain looked at Anya like a cinematic hero. "It was 'Love at First Sight.' The day Anya came for her interview, we bumped into each other in the lift. Her innocence and boldness won my heart. I didn't feel like I was meeting an employee; I felt like I was meeting my destiny."
When Anya heard this 'sweet story' from Zain, she felt like picking up that same prawn and throwing it at his face.
The bitter reality of that day raced through her mind:
"Liar! Deceiver! A wolf in gentleman's clothing! Love at First Sight? That day, you pinned me against the lift wall and terrified me! You grabbed my T-shirt like a cop catching a thief! And that bloody scene you showed me on the 17th floor... it made my soul shiver!"
Anya cursed Zain in her mind: "Your son didn't marry me out of love; he 'kidnapped' me and forced this marriage! If you knew his 12 rules, you'd send him to jail yourself!"
Then Xuyana smiled, "Oh! So it's a lift love story? How romantic!"
Anya forced a 'fake smile' onto her face and, looking into Zain's eyes, said softly, "Yes Mom... 'Sir' is so romantic that in the lift that day, he didn't even give me room to 'breathe.' Right, Zain?"
Under the table, Anya struck Zain's leg hard with her heels. A flash of pain crossed Zain's face, but he didn't let his smile fade. There was a dangerous glint in his eyes, saying— 'I will take revenge for this tonight in the bedroom, Mrs. Yan.'