“Fool,” Ye Lan murmured, her fingers grazing Mu Xi’s cheek with a playful pinch.
“I’m always prepared. The trunk’s stocked with food, water, and that strawberry cake you adore. How could I let my darling go hungry out here?”
A shiver of dread coursed through Mu Xi’s veins.
The realization struck her like a cold wave: every move she made was a thread in Ye Lan’s intricate web.
“Oh, and by the way,” Ye Lan’s voice dripped with smug satisfaction, “you’re curious about Tuesday, aren’t you? I orchestrated his betrayal. That phone call? A ruse. Your grand ‘escape’ was nothing but a play I scripted from beginning to end.”
She leaned in, her breath warm against Mu Xi’s ear.
“So, tell me, was it a thrilling game?”
Mu Xi’s body trembled, a storm of betrayal raging within her.
She pictured Tuesday’s guileless grin, their whispered plans in shadowed corners—all part of Ye Lan’s cruel design.
The hope she’d clung to was nothing but a mirage, a trap woven with meticulous care.
“You’re heartless,” Mu Xi whispered, her voice quaking with suppressed fury.
“Heartless?” Ye Lan’s head tilted, a faint smile dancing on her lips.
“No, my dear. I know you too well. You crave hope, adventure—a spark to light up the monotony of the manor. So I gave you this game, a taste of the escape you longed for.”
Her fingers twined through Mu Xi’s silver hair, soft as moonlight.
“Wasn’t it exhilarating?”
Mu Xi’s eyes fluttered shut, tears tracing silent paths down her cheeks.
The truth sank in, heavy and unyielding: she was Ye Lan’s caged songbird, her every flutter of rebellion choreographed by the hands of her keeper.
Lifting her gaze, Mu Xi forced a bitter smile.
“Thank you, Master, for indulging me. I’m ready for my punishment.”
Ye Lan lounged against the car window, her eyes glinting with intrigue.
“And what punishment do you imagine awaits you?”
“Sever my limbs, rip out my teeth, blind me,” Mu Xi’s voice dwindled to a whisper.
“Or make me deaf, mute. Something cruel. I’m ready.”
Her fists clenched, nails biting into her palms.
“But no matter what you do, I’ll never surrender my hope.”
Ye Lan’s laughter rang out, light and mocking.
“Such dark thoughts in that pretty head. My precious bird—how could I destroy what I cherish?”
She tousled Mu Xi’s hair with an affectionate touch.
“That defiant spark in your eyes just now? Utterly adorable.”
Mu Xi bit her lip, her defiance a fragile shield.
She knew her bravado was a facade, yet it was better than surrender.
“Still, a touch of discipline is in order.” Ye Lan produced a pink pill from her pocket.
“Today’s dose—doubled.”
Mu Xi’s eyes widened in horror.
“No!”
“Be a good girl and open your mouth,” Ye Lan coaxed, her fingers firm on Mu Xi’s chin.
“Unless you’d prefer a different kind of punishment?”
Reluctantly, Mu Xi parted her lips, the bitter pill dissolving on her tongue as she grimaced.
“You’re cleverer than you let on,” Ye Lan said, her gaze warm with approval as Mu Xi swallowed.
“This plan of yours wasn’t flawless, but you surprised me. Stay by my side, and I’ll craft more games to keep you entertained.”
Mu Xi stared out at the fleeting landscape, her heart a tangle of emotions.
Ye Lan’s fingers brushed her cheek, soft as a whisper.
“Still sulking?”
“No,” Mu Xi muttered, turning away to hide her turmoil.
“Tired? Rest your head.” Ye Lan patted her lap invitingly.
“I can’t sleep,” Mu Xi said, shaking her head, her mind still sharp despite the looming haze of the drug.
“Then let’s have some fun,” Ye Lan purred, her voice laced with allure.
“It’s been too long since I’ve spoiled you properly.”
Mu Xi stiffened, her resistance crumbling under Ye Lan’s unyielding will.
A cool hand slipped beneath her skirt, the touch sending shivers through her.
“Don’t be afraid,” Ye Lan whispered, her lips grazing Mu Xi’s ear.
“This is a reward, not a punishment.”
The air in the car grew thick, Mu Xi’s skin prickling with heat.
The drug’s tendrils curled through her, blurring the edges of her thoughts.
Ye Lan’s soft chuckle filled the space.
“This dose is potent, isn’t it?”
“Master…” Mu Xi slumped against her, pliant and powerless.
She knew what was coming, her mind too fogged to resist.
Ye Lan’s touch grew bolder, and Mu Xi bit her lip, stifling the sounds threatening to escape.
“Don’t hold back, darling,” Ye Lan’s voice was a velvet command.
“No one can hear you here.”
Mu Xi felt like a castaway adrift in a sea of sensation, helpless against the tide.
She yearned to fight, but Ye Lan’s grip was absolute.
The drug and desire wove together, unraveling her last threads of control.
When Ye Lan’s bodyguards arrived, the SUV rocked violently in the distance.
Mu Xi’s voice, laced with the drug’s delirium, drifted through the window, stirring blushes among the guards.
Lin Ke’er stood at the forefront, her fingers twitching over her holstered gun.
Her eyes fixed on the quaking vehicle, memories of Mu Xi’s innocent laughter clashing with the sultry cries now echoing from within.
“Master, please, no more…” Mu Xi’s voice broke, a sob of surrender.
“Patience, my sweet,” Ye Lan’s tone dripped with seduction.
Lin Ke’er’s throat tightened, her body betraying her as she stood frozen.
She recalled Mu Xi’s delicate feet on the kitchen’s marble floor, pale as polished jade.
The car’s frenzy intensified, Mu Xi’s cries fragmenting into gasps.
The bodyguards exchanged uneasy glances, caught between duty and discomfort.
They knew Ye Lan’s games; this torment, cloaked as affection, was likely worse than any blade.
“The drug’s hit her hard,” Ye Lan’s laughter floated out.
“Our little bird is singing so sweetly today.”
Lin Ke’er’s cheeks burned, her body reacting despite herself.
She cursed inwardly—Mu Xi’s voice was a siren’s call, ensnaring even her.
The car’s tumult subsided, leaving only Mu Xi’s faint whimpers.
The bodyguards exhaled, a mix of relief and lingering unease.
This spectacle would haunt their thoughts for days.
Ye Lan emerged, smoothing her clothes as the night breeze swept away the car’s heavy air.
She glanced back at Mu Xi, crumpled in the back seat, a faint smile curving her lips.
“Keep up with my car,” she ordered the waiting guards.
Lin Ke’er’s gaze flickered to the back seat.
Mu Xi lay disheveled, her silver hair spilling like moonlight, her flushed cheeks a portrait of ravaged beauty.
“Master, Miss Mu Xi…” Lin Ke’er faltered, her voice uncertain.
“She’s out cold,” Ye Lan said lightly.
“The drug was stronger than usual.”
The bodyguards shared stunned looks, their minds reeling.
They’d served Ye Lan for years, yet this was the first time they’d seen her push someone to oblivion.
But after the scene they’d witnessed, it felt almost expected.
“Lin Ke’er,” Ye Lan called, halting her as she turned.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Watch over her in the back seat,” Ye Lan said, tossing her a blanket.
“Keep her warm.”