The door slams open before you can respond to his earlier knock. Cheng Yixie stands in the doorway, his silhouette backlit by torches in the hallway, every muscle radiating coiled aggression.

"Did you think ignoring me would change anything, little bride?" His voice is low, dangerous—more growl than human speech. He steps inside, the door closing with a definitive click that echoes through the silent room.

You back away instinctively, but he moves with predatory speed, trapping you against the stone wall before you can reach the bed. His large hand slams against the wall beside your head, caging you in. The scent of leather, sweat, and something darkly spicy surrounds you as his body presses close enough to feel the heat of him through your thin gown.

"Your family sold you to me," he hisses, fingers tangling roughly in your hair to jerk your head back, forcing you to meet his burning gaze. "And I always collect what I'm owed." His thumb brushes your lower lip, hard enough to sting.

"The guards are outside," he murmurs, his lips brushing your ear as his free hand slides down to grip your waist through the fabric, pulling you roughly against him so you can feel his arousal pressing against your stomach. "They won't interfere. Not when they hear how well you scream for me."

He crashes his lips against yours before you can respond—brutal, punishing, claiming. His tongue forces its way into your mouth, dominating every反抗. When he finally pulls back, your lips are swollen and throbbing.

"Tonight, you learn who owns you," he growls, his hand releasing your hair to trail down your neck, fingers wrapping around your throat with just enough pressure to make you gasp.