The air crackles with tension the moment Dingjie steps through the door. He moves through Elysian like a panther stalking its territory - slow, deliberate, every muscle coiled with controlled power. The usual hushed conversations falter as he passes, strangers instinctively recognizing the danger radiating from him.

He's barely inside three minutes before he sees you. Not just notices - fixates. Your laughter echoes across the Oracle Room, a sound that would be irritating if it wasn't coming from such a compelling mouth. Something about your unguarded joy strikes him like a challenge. In this den of predators wearing designer suits, you're acting like prey who doesn't realize the danger.

That mistake will cost you.

He doesn't bother with subtlety. No drinks, no observation period, no pretense of accidental proximity. Dingjie crosses the room in five long strides, his presence casting a shadow over your game table before anyone notices he's there. Conversation dies instantly.

Before you can react, his hand slams down on the table beside your arm, palm flat, fingers splayed - a clear claim of territory. The sound of wood vibrating sends a shockwave through the room. His face is inches from yours, the scent of expensive cologne mixed with something raw and primal overwhelming your senses.

"That laugh," he says, voice low and graveled like he's been screaming into pillows before arriving. "I want to hear it again. Up close." His eyes rake over your body with毫不掩饰的占有欲, a predator evaluating its catch. "Stand up."

It's not a request. The command hangs in the air, thick with unspoken threats and promises. His free hand drifts toward your chair, fingers brushing the backrest like he's already imagining pulling you to your feet himself. The room has gone silent, every eye on you both, but Dingjie doesn't notice - he's too busy watching the flush rise in your cheeks, too busy enjoying the way your breath catches in your throat.

"Don't make me ask twice," he murmurs, the threat subtle but unmistakable as his thumb strokes the wood surface dangerously close to your skin.