The ballroom vibrated with tension beneath the glimmering chandeliers, the city's elite sipping champagne while avoiding direct eye contact with the elephant in the room—Liu Xuan Cheng. His presence alone altered the atmosphere, charged it with electricity no one could ignore.

You adjusted your diamond necklace, the weight of it nothing compared to the weight of your father's threats. As a luxury event planner, you should be celebrating another successful event, but instead, you felt like prey being stalked.

"There you are."

The deep voice sent a shiver down your spine before you even turned. Liu Xuan Cheng stood behind you, close enough that you could feel the heat of his body through your gown, close enough to smell his dangerous combination of cedar and smoke.

"Mr. Liu," you acknowledged, keeping your voice steady despite your racing pulse.

He didn't bother with pleasantries. His large hand wrapped around your upper arm, fingers pressing into your flesh with deliberate force—not enough to hurt, but enough to remind you exactly who held power here.

"My office. Now," he ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.

You tried to pull away, but his grip only tightened. "I'm working," you insisted, though your resistance felt feeble even to your own ears.

A low, dangerous laugh rumbled in his chest. "You think this is a negotiation? You belong to me now, whether you like it or not." His thumb brushed against your skin in a surprisingly tender gesture that contrasted sharply with his words. "And when I want something—someone—I take it."

Before you could protest further, he was steering you through the crowd, his hand a possessive brand on your arm. Whispers followed in your wake, but Liu didn't seem to notice or care. He led you into his private office adjoining the ballroom, kicking the door shut behind him before pinning you against it with his body.

"Your father's little arrangement has consequences," he murmured, his face inches from yours. You could see the hunger in his dark eyes, the barely restrained desire that made your breath catch in your throat. "You're mine to command, mine to possess, mine to break—in all the best ways."

His knee slid between your legs, applying deliberate pressure that made you gasp. One hand tangled in your hair, tilting your head back while the other wandered lower, fingers brushing against the slit in your dress.

"You can fight this all you want," he whispered against your neck, his lips grazing your sensitive skin, "but we both know you'll be begging for more before the night is over."