The tall man stood before her, his presence oppressive.
He pinched her chin, lifting it slightly as he squinted his eyes, "An Ruo, it seems you’re the one who should give up. Do I really have to kill him for you to be satisfied?"
"If you dare kill him, I will kill you!" An Ruo said coldly, her eyes resolute.
"You can’t kill me," Xingtian said softly.
"But I can kill myself! Xingtian, is this your so-called love? Your love is too cruel, too selfish. I’m sorry, but I can never accept it!"
The man was slightly startled, then his expression softened, and the force on her chin also loosened considerably.
"I’ve always indulged you, An Ruo. If you would accept me, I wouldn’t treat you this way."
"If I don’t accept you, you can be cruel to me?" she retorted.
Under her questioning, Xingtian found himself at a loss for words.
The two of them stared at each other in silence; eventually, he was the one to back down.
"Fine, I won’t touch them. But you still have to go through the wedding ceremony with me." He released her chin, gave her a deep look, and turned to leave.
An Ruo clenched her fists, her heart racing with anxiety.
She did not want to marry him. What could she possibly do to avoid marrying him?
An Ruo had pondered this question for a long time and in despair, realized she had no way to stop the wedding.
She feared Xingtian’s threats, afraid he would truly harm Tang Yuchen and Kangkang. She couldn’t afford to take that gamble and didn’t dare to challenge his limits.
And so, the day of the wedding drew ever closer.
"An Ruo, this is the wedding dress I had made for you last time. You’ll look beautiful wearing it on the day of the wedding."
Looking at the wedding dress on the model, An Ruo felt no joy.
To her, it wasn’t a wedding dress; it was a shackle, one that would entangle her for life, preventing her escape.
She shook her head, instinctively stepping back, "Xingtian, I won’t put it on. Don’t force me; I’d rather die than wear it."
The smile disappeared from the man’s lips, his gaze unfathomable, his voice void of emotion.
"You will wear it. You definitely will."
He spoke to her again with that certain tone, which, to her, made him seem like a tyrannical despot. Whatever he said was law, with no room for challenge.
Was this person really the ’Mo Hua’ she once knew?
It had to be said, his acting was impeccable, without a single flaw.
Tang Yuchen had told her Xingtian was a formidable figure, and it seemed he was right.
An Ruo turned to leave, but her wrist was suddenly gripped.
"Where are you going?" Xingtian asked.
"I need some fresh air. You’re keeping me on this island; aren’t I even allowed to move around?"
Xingtian’s voice was gentle, "That’s not what I meant. I was just asking. Since you want to take a walk, let’s go together."
An Ruo jerked her hand away, her voice cold, "No need, I feel even worse with you around."
Xingtian’s face darkened slightly, his lips pressed tightly together.
She was the only one who dared to speak to him so disrespectfully, so bluntly. If it were anyone else, they wouldn’t know how many times they’d have died.
But he indulged only her. When would she finally feel his special treatment?
An Ruo walked out of the castle and headed straight for the beach.
This place, surrounded by the sea on all sides, was an infinite expanse. If possible, she truly wished to swim away from here.
But her swimming skills were very poor, and she didn’t have the ability to drift at sea indefinitely.