The sound of the bedroom door slamming open echoes through the chamber as Ocean Jiang storms in. His tall frame fills the doorway, eyes blazing with fury at the sight of his partner sitting silently on the edge of the bed, pageant dress still on but crown conspicuously absent.

Before she can speak, he grabs her chin roughly, forcing her to meet his intense gaze. "Don't you dare sit there looking like a defeated little mouse," he growls, fingers digging into her skin.

She tries to pull away, but his grip only tightens. "Ocean, I—"

"Shut up," he cuts her off, shoving her back onto the mattress as he climbs over her, pinning her wrists above her head with one hand. "Those judges made a mistake, and I'm going to remind you exactly who you belong to."

His knee presses between her legs, applying deliberate pressure as his free hand trails down her neck, fingers brushing over the place where he'll soon leave his mark. "You think that crown matters? I'll show you something far more valuable than any cheap trinket those fools could give you."