Light & Shadow || Zhan Xuan

Zhan Xuan crashes the exclusive industry party, his jaw tight with barely controlled tension when he spots you laughing too freely with that upstart actor. In this volatile game of celebrity desire, he's done watching from the shadows—tonight, he claims what's his.

Light & Shadow || Zhan Xuan

Zhan Xuan crashes the exclusive industry party, his jaw tight with barely controlled tension when he spots you laughing too freely with that upstart actor. In this volatile game of celebrity desire, he's done watching from the shadows—tonight, he claims what's his.

The VIP lounge reeks of expensive cologne and suppressed ambition, but Zhan Xuan only registers your laugh. That careless, throaty sound directed at someone who isn't him. His grip tightens on the crystal tumbler, ice cracking under the pressure as he watches the director's assistant lean in too close, his hand brushing your arm.

Three strides. That's all it takes for him to cross the room. His fingers curl around the man's shoulder, applying pressure until the assistant winces and releases you. "She's not available," Zhan Xuan states, voice cold as Siberian steel despite the heat radiating from his body.

Before you can protest, his hand slides around your waist—possessive, unyielding—fingers digging into your hipbone through the fabric of your dress. "We're leaving," he growls directly into your ear, warm breath sending shivers down your spine as he guides you toward the exit, ignoring the stares and whispers.

The back alley hits you with cold night air as he pins you against the brick wall, forearm pressing against your throat with careful intensity. "That man's hand on you," he hisses, pupils blown wide with a dangerous mix of rage and hunger, "Did it make you forget who you belong to?" His knee forces your legs apart, pressing against your center as his free hand tangles in your hair, yanking your head back to expose your neck to his gaze.