Back in her room, TianTian kept trying to recall everything that had happened after that night. However, she felt terribly tired. Her body was so heavy and weak that she decided to go back to sleep.
Perhaps, by the time she woke up again, she would have enough energy to explore her surroundings.
She slowly closed her eyes. Before long, she heard the door opening and someone entering the room.
She wanted to open her eyes, but she simply couldn't. Sleepiness overwhelmed her, pulling her into a deep slumber.
Unaware of what was happening around her, TianTian didn't notice the nurse approaching her bedside. The nurse gave her an injection, checked the heartbeat monitor, recorded the results, and then quietly left the room.
Meanwhile, deep inside her dreams, TianTian's memories began unfolding like scenes from a movie.
It was the day after the accident at Lion Nightclub.
Of course, the first thing TianTian did after finishing her teaching duties was to check on WenWen.
She felt greatly relieved when she found WenWen safely at home, looking perfectly healthy.
WenWen repeatedly apologized for offending Mr. Li and dragging TianTian into such a terrible situation. She even swore that she would never touch alcohol again.
Although WenWen was curious about what kind of deal TianTian had made with Mr. Li to get her job back, TianTian couldn't possibly tell her the truth about what had happened that night.
Instead, she reassured her friend with a little white lie.
"Don't worry. Nothing bad happened. I just have to work for Mr. Li for several weeks in exchange for getting your job back."
After leaving WenWen's house, TianTian knew she had to keep her promise, even though she had absolutely no desire to meet that man again.
And the sooner she settled this matter, the better.
Her parents had always taught her never to delay dealing with problems. Once something needed to be done, she should face it rather than run away.
After making up her mind, she walked into a shop.
---
Meanwhile, the King had already gathered all the information about TianTian.
He was amazed by how ordinary and simple her life was. She was just an ordinary girl from an ordinary family, living an ordinary life.
Yet somehow, this simple little girl had awakened such a strong desire inside him.
He couldn't understand it himself.
And right at that moment, TianTian appeared before him once again.
This time, she was standing in his office at the Galaxy Building, the headquarters of Li Company.
White Fox was rather surprised to see the little bunny voluntarily walking into the lion's den.
Perhaps this bunny wasn't as weak as she appeared to be.
He thought so but didn't say anything. Instead, he simply escorted TianTian into Mr. Li's office.
The King was secretly delighted to see her again. However, another feeling began creeping into his heart.
He was afraid of losing interest in her.
Before this, he had considered countless ways to force her to come to him. Yet now, she had appeared of her own accord.
Was she changing her mind after discovering that he was Mr. Li?
Or perhaps, like other women, had she started thinking about taking advantage of his wealth and power?
If that were the case, he swore he would destroy her without hesitation.
"So, Ms. TianTian, have you finally remembered to repay your debt?" he asked coldly, touching his cheek deliberately. "Although I must say, the price has become much higher than before."
He was obviously reminding her of the painful slap she had given him the last time they met.
TianTian was surprised that he already knew her name. But then she realized that finding out such a small detail would be child's play for someone like Mr. Li, the owner of Li Company.
"I did come here to repay my debt because I'm a person who keeps her promises," she replied. "But not in the way you suggested last time. Mr. Li, I hope we can negotiate something more... appropriate."
Although she felt nervous, TianTian tried her best to remain brave. Remembering what had happened at the nightclub made her uncomfortable, but she refused to show weakness in front of this King of Beasts.
No! She wouldn't let him intimidate her.
Besides, she had prepared some protection just in case.
Inside her handbag was a pepper spray canister. It was cheap, but she hoped it would be enough to protect her if this perverted man tried anything inappropriate again.
A faint smile appeared on the King's lips.
So brave. After everything that happened last time, she still dares to come here. And not because she wants me, but simply because she intends to keep her promise.
I wasn't wrong about her after all.
She's my girl.
"Hmm... All right, then. What do you have to offer, Ms. TianTian?"
Surprised that he was actually willing to listen to her proposal, TianTian stumbled over her words.
"Well, I... I mean, it must be something I can actually help you with. I'm willing to do anything except... except..."
Her cheeks turned red as she struggled to finish her sentence.
"Go on," the King encouraged, deliberately teasing her. "Except what, Ms. TianTian?"
"You know exactly what I mean!"
"I'm afraid I don't."
The King slowly approached her, thoroughly enjoying her nervous reaction. She looked adorable when she was flustered.
However, TianTian immediately became alert when she noticed him getting closer. One hand slipped into her handbag, gripping the pepper spray tightly.
When he was close enough, he leaned toward her ear and whispered,
"Do you mean... having sex with me?"
Caught completely off guard by his unexpected flirtation, TianTian jumped backward.
Unfortunately, she lost her balance.
A strong hand caught her before she could fall. But instead of simply helping her stand, the King pulled her tightly against his chest.
Shocked and frightened by the possibility of another unwanted advance, TianTian panicked.
She immediately sprayed his face and screamed,
"NOOOOO!"
The King was completely stunned by the unexpected attack.
He quickly released her, clutching his face as a burning sensation spread across his eyes.
"Ouch! My eyes! Ms. TianTian, what have you done?! Argh! It burns! Did you... did you just spray me with pepper spray?"
This girl is unbelievable!
Nobody had ever dared to attack him with such a ridiculous little weapon before.
Although his eyes were genuinely hurting, he couldn't help finding the situation amusing.
Does she really think that little thing can protect her from me? What a foolish girl... but she's adorable.
"You deserved it, you pervert!" TianTian shouted, stepping backward. "I already told you that I don't want to... to be that intimate with you!"
She was beginning to regret coming here.
How am I supposed to negotiate with this man? He's only thinking about those perverted things!
I shouldn't have come here in the first place. But what about WenWen?
For the moment, she decided that running away was the best option.
However, just as TianTian was about to leave, the King suddenly cried out.
"Argh! My eyes! It hurts so much! I think... I think I can't see anymore!"
"Is it really that bad?"
TianTian stopped.
She hadn't expected the cheap pepper spray she had bought to cause such serious damage.
What she didn't realize was that the King was deliberately exaggerating his condition to make her stay.
Of course, his eyes had genuinely hurt at first, but the burning sensation was already fading.
"Should we go to the doctor? Let me take a look at your eyes!"
Feeling responsible for what had happened, TianTian hurried back toward him.
Unfortunately, she let her guard down.
The moment she stood in front of him and tried to examine his eyes, the King seized his opportunity.
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her passionately.
TianTian struggled immediately, hitting his chest and trying to push him away, but his arms held her tightly.
One of his hands moved to the back of her head, preventing her from turning away as he continued kissing her.
The struggle seemed endless to TianTian.
For what felt like an eternity, she was trapped in his embrace, unable to catch her breath properly.
It was the second time he had forced a kiss upon her.
Strangely, her lips seemed to have become familiar with his.
TianTian was shocked by her own reaction. Deep inside, she realized that a part of her was beginning to respond to his kisses.
She felt ashamed of herself.
Why am I reacting like this?
Does this mean... I am beginning to desire him too?
No!
She quickly pulled herself back to reality.
Gathering all her strength, she finally managed to push him away.
"You... you pervert! Thief!"
Her face turned as red as a tomato. She was so furious that she could barely speak properly.
Seeing her adorable reaction, the King couldn't help laughing.
"I suppose teachers don't swear very often, do they? Your vocabulary is rather limited, Ms. TianTian."
"You...!"
In a fit of anger, TianTian tried to hit him again.
But the King only laughed harder. He didn't even bother defending himself against her little attacks.
He simply stood there, enjoying every moment.
---
Outside the office, Miss Yan, Mr. Li's personal secretary, froze when she heard an unfamiliar sound coming from inside.
Laughter.
A man's laughter.
And it sounded so genuine!
Was that really her boss?
The cold and intimidating Mr. Li?
In the ten years she had worked for him, she had never heard him laugh like that, especially not in front of a woman.
Just who is this girl?
Could she possibly be... his future wife?
Miss Yan shook her head, hardly believing her own thoughts, before forcing herself to return to work.
---
Feeling completely ignored by the man who was still laughing, TianTian finally decided to leave.
"I hope we never have to meet again, Mr. Li. Goodbye."
Those words immediately alarmed the King.
He quickly caught her hand and stared directly into her eyes.
His gaze was filled with passion and desire.
"You must keep your promise. And now, I know exactly what you can do for me, Ms. TianTian."
"And what would that be?"
She immediately regretted asking.
"Be my girl. Stay with me forever."
These were words he had never imagined saying to any woman.
Yet here he was, saying them to TianTian.
He truly wanted her.
TianTian stared at him in disbelief.
"I won't do that. Ask me for something else. Anything except that!"
She was frightened by the intensity of his desire.
She knew she needed to escape because everything about this situation was new and terrifying to her.
She had never been intimate with a man before. She was still innocent, and she knew very little about relationships.
To this powerful man, she might simply become another toy to satisfy his desires, something he could discard whenever he grew bored.
And she was afraid of something even worse.
What if she fell too deeply in love with him?
What if, by the time she realized it, there was no turning back?
Besides, hadn't they only met twice?
How could he possibly be serious about her?
These thoughts gave her the courage to answer firmly.
"I won't be your girl!"
The second rejection made the King furious.
He could obtain almost anything he wanted. So why was winning this little girl's heart proving so difficult?
He was not a patient man.
"Why?" he demanded. "I know you don't have a boyfriend! In fact, I'm your first kiss! I want you, TianTian. Why don't you want to be mine?"
TianTian looked straight into his eyes.
"You cannot force someone to belong to you just because you want them! I have my own heart and my own free will. How can I possibly become yours simply because you have decided so? That's ridiculous!"
She pulled her hand away.
"I'm leaving. Let's just pretend I never came here!"
She had had enough.
If she stayed any longer, she was afraid her head would explode from trying to reason with this arrogant, perverted beast.
At first, she had thought he was merely an abnormal, perverted rich man.
But perhaps there was no point in keeping a promise to someone like him.
Just as she turned to leave, the King's expression suddenly changed.
"Then what about your friend WenWen? Don't you care about her?"
His voice became cold.
He had made up his mind. No matter what happened, he would keep TianTian by his side.
Unfortunately, this King had never learned how to love someone properly.
In his world, threats and intimidation had always been effective ways to obtain whatever he wanted.
No wonder people called him the cold-hearted King.
At that moment, he knew only one way to make TianTian stay.
A way he would deeply regret in the future.
"You wouldn't dare..."
A terrifying scenario immediately flashed through TianTian's mind.
"Do you think I wouldn't?"
The King stared at her coldly, reminding her of the man she had encountered at the nightclub.
Yes.
He would do it.
Hadn't he already threatened her before?
Only now did TianTian truly understand how cruel and ruthless the man standing before her could be.
There was only one way to stop him.
"Then... if I agree to be your girl, you promise you won't hurt WenWen?"
She wasn't asking because she didn't know the answer.
She simply needed to hear him say it.
"That's right."
For the first time, the King felt nervous waiting for someone's answer.
Would she accept?
He had never lost a business negotiation. He had never been afraid of losing anything.
But somehow, the possibility of losing this girl made him uncomfortable.
TianTian fell silent.
Why me?
You could have any woman you wanted. Women much prettier than me...
She wanted to ask him, but the words remained trapped in her throat.
Deep down, she thought she understood his reason.
Perhaps it's because I dared to fight back. I became something new and amusing to him, like a new toy for a rich man to play with.
Maybe I should simply give him what he wants for now.
Eventually, he'll get bored of me and throw me away.
Hopefully, it won't take too long.
"Very well. I agree to be your girl, but on one condition."
"You are not in a position to bargain!"
"Then do you want me to be your girl or not?!"
Neither of them wanted to back down.
TianTian knew she had to surrender, but at least she wanted to preserve some dignity.
She needed to protect her innocence.
And, more importantly, she needed to protect her heart.
"Fine!" the King snapped. "What is it?"
"First, you must pass a test."
"What? A test? What kind of test?"
"Yes. I want you to prove that you're serious about making me your girl."
Damn this girl! She's really testing my patience!
How dare she doubt the word of Mr. Li?
She wants proof? Fine. I'll play along with your little game.
The King had no idea that he would soon regret agreeing to this challenge.
"Fine! What kind of test? Do you want me to buy you a house, a car, or perhaps an entire building?"
"I don't need any of those things. It's a very simple test."
TianTian took a deep breath before continuing.
"You cannot sleep with me for three months."
"WHAT?!"
The King stared at her as if she had just announced something completely ridiculous.
"That's right. For three months, we won't have sex."
Three months should be long enough, shouldn't it? No man would be willing to keep a girlfriend who refused to sleep with him forever. Sooner or later, he'll get bored and dump me.
Her thoughts suddenly drifted toward an unpleasant memory of her former boyfriend.
He had left her because she was too boring, because she didn't want to be kissed or sleep with him.
Men are all beasts!
"It's absurd!" the King protested. "You're my girl, and you're telling me I can't have sex with my own girlfriend for three months? You're really a strange girl, you know?"
As far as he knew, most women would happily compete for a chance to share his bed. Some even dreamed of having his child.
Yet none of them had ever managed to awaken his desire the way TianTian had.
Behind his perverted and arrogant exterior, however, there was something TianTian didn't know.
The King was just as inexperienced as she was.
It wasn't that he was incapable of intimacy.
He had simply never desired any woman enough to take that step.
Until now.
"If you're unwilling to accept my condition, then I'll leave right now!"
TianTian tried to sound confident, even though her heart was beating wildly.
"Maybe you can make WenWen lose her job, but I believe she can still live well with my support. So your threat about WenWen won't work forever!"
It was a weak argument, and she knew it.
But she had to try.
She could only hope that somewhere beneath the beastly exterior of this powerful man, there was still a little kindness left.
What TianTian didn't realize was that the thought of losing her had already made the King lose his usual ability to think rationally.
"All right!"
He finally gave in.
"For three months, we won't have sex. But you must obey me. You'll stay wherever I stay and go wherever I go. Is that clear?!"
TianTian was stunned.
"Stay... with you? But..."
"Don't push your luck, girl! That's my final decision!"
"I won't... But at least give me some time to collect my belongings..."
"No need! I'll have your things delivered from your apartment. I already know you live alone."
Before TianTian could respond, the King grabbed her hand and led her out of the office.
"Wait! Where are we going?"
"Home."
"Home? Whose home?"
"Mine. And from now on, you'll be staying there."
Without giving her another chance to protest, he took her straight to his car.
Soon, the car was speeding toward a luxurious residential complex known as Gold Garden.
It was an exclusive neighborhood where only the wealthiest people could afford to live.
Each mansion was worth around ten billion, complete with a private swimming pool and sauna.
The King's mansion was no exception.
It was enormous, elegant, and breathtakingly luxurious.
But to TianTian, none of that mattered.
As she stepped into the magnificent house, she couldn't help feeling that she had just been delivered into a beautiful prison.
A luxury jail.
And the King?
He had finally brought his little bunny into his den.