[Warning: Mature content]
Ailin's lips brushed against Yichen's, tentative and trembling, as if testing the weight of a choice she could no longer take back.
He broke the kiss gently, a soft exhale grazing her ear, then scooped her up into his arms. A small, surprised gasp escaped her as he carried her the few steps to the bed, laying her down gently.
Her eyes never left him, his fingers found the zipper of her dress, and he lowered it slowly, each movement paired with the brush of his lips against her skin. The fabric slipped away, and she shivered, caught between fear and desire.
"You're beautiful" he murmured, voice rougher than he intended.
Her hands reaching for the front of his shirt. Her breath hitched as she fumbled with the buttons, a low, throaty moan escaping her lips as the fabric finally gave way. Yichen leaned back just enough to allow her to drag the shirt from his shoulders, the sound of their accelerated breathing filling the quiet room.
He lowered his head, taking one breast into his mouth, he sucked gently, passionately, while his fingers teased and circled the tight, sensitive peak of the other.
He kissed a slow, deliberate trail down her body, lingering over her stomach, using his lips and tongue to draw out a low, sustained pleasure. Ailin's body trembled as she moaned, her hands tangled in his dark hair. He finally shifted, moving between her open thighs, his gaze met hers, a final silent question. She gave a single, decisive nod.
He settled against her, his hands framing her hips, and pressed in. A sharp, shocked cry tore from Ailin's lips.
"Gwaad" Yichen exhaled, the word rough with pain and surprise, his body going rigid. He paused, leaning back slightly, sweat already beading on his brow.
"You are so tight" he whispered, before he dropped his forehead to her shoulder.
"Wait, wait" he soothed, planting soft, encouraging kisses along her jaw. "It's alright, sweetheart. I'm right here. Breathe with me."
He waited, feeling the rigid tension in her body slowly begin to melt. When he began again, it was a different motion, a measured, agonizingly slow push. She cried out once more, but this time, it was softer, the pain instantly blending into a strange, intense fullness. He pushed deeper, a slow, gentle, victorious rhythm finally taking over.
He watched her face as her expression transformed. Her eyes squeezed shut, the grimace of pain replaced by a look of sheer, raw sensation. He began to move with a steady, rocking pace, driving them into a profound, shared silence that was only broken by the sweet, gasping moans that would carry them through the intense, beautiful motions of the long night ahead.
~~~
Ailin woke up, the sheets brushing against her bare skin, every muscle in her body ached. The bed was cold, empty, no trace of the man from last night.
She sat up, picking her scattered clothes with trembling hands. As she slipped them back on, her gaze caught the faint bite marks along her collarbone.
Fragments of memory rushed back, his lips, his touch, the way she had clung to him like he was the only thing keeping her alive.
"No… what did I do…" she whispered, her voice breaking.
Snatching her bag, she fled the room.
By the time she got home, exhaustion dragged at her limbs, but her heart wouldn't stop racing. She unlocked her phone, hoping for a message from Lu Feng, to remind her she wasn't completely lost.
There it was. A message.
Her breath caught in relief until she read the words.
Ailin, I've been thinking. This isn't working. You're too naive. You only try to please me, always asking what I want, what I like. I can't be with someone who just exists to make me happy. I need someone who challenges me. I'm sorry. Take care of yourself.
Tears blurred her vision. "No… no, Lu Feng, you don't mean this," she whispered, clutching the phone to her chest.
Her fingers flew to call him. Once. Twice. Again and again.
Each time, it rang until the line cut off. Finally, it went straight to voicemail.
"Please… just pick up… once" she choked, her voice breaking as the tears spilled freely.
The phone slipped from her shaking hands. She collapsed onto the bed, pressing her face into the pillow as sobs tore out of her.
Ailin sat on the edge of her bed, phone in hand. She drew in a steadying breath before calling the housing agent.
"Could you send me the pictures of the available apartments?" she asked, keeping her voice as even as she could.
Within minutes, her phone buzzed. She scrolled slowly through the images.
One picture made her pause. Sunlight poured through wide windows, spilling onto a little balcony that overlooked the city. It wasn't luxurious, but it looked warm. Safe.
"I'll take this one" she whispered, almost to herself, before quickly texting the agent her choice.
The confirmation came back almost instantly. After making the payment, she leaned against the headboard, a faint smile tugging at her lips.
Then came the hardest part, packing.
She folded her clothes neatly, slipping pieces of her past into suitcases and boxes. Every item carried a memory, but she forced herself not to linger. This wasn't about holding on. It was about moving forward.
When the last box was shut, Ailin slid her CV into her bag, patting it like a talisman. Tomorrow, she had an interview at Huaxing Corporation—country J biggest company.
She drifted to the window, watching the city lights flicker against the night sky. Her reflection stared back tired, but with a glimmer of determination.
With that fragile hope wrapped around her, she curled up in bed, clutching her pillow as if it could anchor her to her new beginning.
~~~
The sharp trill of her alarm pulled Ailin out of sleep. She rubbed her eyes, pushing herself up from the bed with a soft groan. Today wasn't just another day, it was the start of something new.
She washed up quickly and sat down for a simple breakfast. The food was warm, but her nerves made it hard to swallow more than a few bites.
Afterward, she crouched beside her bag, checking everything again. CV? Check. Portfolio? Check. She went through it twice, then once more, just to be sure. She couldn't afford to forget a single detail.
Her gaze swept the room one last time. "Am I missing anything?" she muttered under her breath, chewing on her lip.
Satisfied, she pulled out her phone and called the moving company.
"Hello? Yes, this is Ailin. Please come today to move my belongings to the new apartment."
The voice on the other end confirmed, and she hung up with a small sigh of relief.
She took one last look at the house that had held so many memories, both sweet and bitter. Then she closed the door behind her.
Outside, the morning sun was bright, the city already alive with people rushing to their destinations. Ailin raised her hand, hailing a cab.
The taxi stopped with a screech of brakes, and the driver leaned out. "Where to, miss?"
"Huaxing Corporation" she answered, her voice steady despite the butterflies in her stomach.
As the cab pulled away, Ailin pressed her hands together on her lap, whispering silently to herself, Please… let today be a good day.