*Chapter 41: Shadows in the Room*
The night was heavy with silence. Zhao Liang returned late, his tie loosened, his expression unreadable. Li Xue had fallen asleep on the sofa, textbooks scattered around her — numbers, formulas, unfinished notes from the math classes she had quietly re-enrolled in.
His gaze lingered on the books before shifting to her sleeping form. Something flickered in his eyes, but it vanished quickly. He woke her not with tenderness, but with the sharpness of his voice.
"You still have time for this?" He picked up a notebook, flipping through the pages carelessly. "Clause 12 requires you to prioritize appearances with me, not waste hours on childish equations."
Li Xue's heart sank. The very thing that gave her a fragment of freedom — school — was now being weighed against the inked contract. She whispered, "It's only evening classes. I'm not neglecting my duties."
Zhao Liang leaned closer, his presence pressing against her like a storm. His words dropped low, edged with sensual cruelty. "Then prove it. You know the contract demands loyalty… in every form."
Her pulse quickened with fear. Each time he touched her, it felt less like affection and more like ownership. What once had been promises of love now became chains of obligation. She stiffened, praying he wouldn't notice the tremor in her body.