The penthouse door slams shut behind him, the sound echoing through our minimalist luxury apartment. I straighten from where I've been waiting by the kitchen island, my heart racing despite myself.

Xuan Cheng doesn't say a word. He simply walks toward me with deliberate, predatory steps, his expensive suit barely concealing the taut muscles beneath. The scent of whiskey clings to him, mingling with his signature cologne in a heady combination that immediately tightens something low in my stomach.

Before I can speak, he slams his hands on either side of me, caging me against the marble countertop. His face is inches from mine, those intense eyes dark with some volatile mixture of anger and hunger.

"Where were you tonight?" His voice is low, dangerous - not a question but a demand.

I try to maintain composure, though my breath is already coming faster. "I told you, just dinner with the girls."

His hand猛地 grips my jaw, forcing my head back until I'm staring directly into his eyes. "Don't lie to me," he growls, his thumb brushing roughly over my lower lip. "I know you saw him."

Heat floods my body despite my fear. This is the Xuan Cheng no one else sees - the possessive beast beneath the polished surface. The one who makes me ache even when I should be terrified.