Chapter Thirty-Three: Beneath the Surface
The ride home was silent, save for the low hum of the car's engine. Outside, the city lights blurred past the tinted windows, but Lu Xiao barely noticed. She sat rigid in her seat, her fingers twisted together in her lap, her heart still pounding with the echo of that stranger's words.
Beside her, Dylan sat with his jaw clenched, his gaze fixed on the dark road ahead. His hand rested protectively over hers, but the tension in his body was unmistakable.
When they finally reached his apartment, Dylan dismissed the driver and led Xiao inside. The door had barely closed before he turned to her, his voice low, controlled—but simmering with anger.
"Who was that man?"
Xiao's breath caught. She had dreaded this question from the moment Dylan appeared on that balcony. "I… I don't know his name," she admitted, her voice trembling. "But he knew me. He knew about… about my past."
Dylan's eyes darkened, his fists curling at his sides. "What did he say to you?"
She hesitated, fear gripping her throat. If she told him everything—that she had been drugged, that her life had spiraled, that she had nearly lost everything—what would he think of her? Would he still look at her with the same pride and love he had shown tonight?
But Dylan stepped closer, tilting her chin so she had no choice but to meet his eyes. "Xiao. I need the truth. Not for me—for us. Don't carry this alone."
Her throat tightened. For a long moment, she could only stare into his eyes, seeing the fierce determination there, the promise of protection. Finally, she whispered, "He threatened me. Said if I stayed with you, he'd expose everything. That people would know who I was… what I was."
Dylan's face hardened, his anger barely contained. "And you believed him?"
Tears pricked her eyes. "Not believed—feared. My past… it's messy, Dylan. It's not something a man like you should be tied to."
His expression softened then, his hands cradling her face. "Listen to me, Xiao. Your past doesn't scare me. The only thing that scares me is losing you."
Her chest ached at his words, and she buried her face against him, clinging to the solid strength of his embrace. But even as his arms wrapped around her, she couldn't shake the chill that lingered in her bones.
Later that night, when Dylan thought she had fallen asleep, Xiao lay awake, her thoughts restless. His words had been unwavering, his love undeniable—but she couldn't forget the man's mocking smile, his promise that her secrets would ruin them both.
Meanwhile, Dylan sat in the study, a glass of whiskey untouched beside him. His phone buzzed with messages from his business associates, but he ignored them. His mind replayed the balcony scene over and over, his blood boiling. Whoever that man was, he had crossed a line—and Dylan would not forgive it.
He picked up his phone at last, dialing a private number. When the line clicked, a voice answered, calm and efficient.
"Find out who was at the gala tonight," Dylan ordered, his voice low and lethal. "A man who spoke to Lu Xiao. I want everything—his name, his connections, his weaknesses. And if he so much as breathes her name again, I'll make sure he regrets it."
"Yes, sir," the voice replied, and the line went dead.
Dylan leaned back in his chair, his jaw tight, his chest heavy. He had promised Xiao he would protect her, and he meant it. Whoever dared to drag her past into the light would learn just how far Lei Han was willing to go for the woman he loved.
Back in the bedroom, Xiao turned toward his side of the bed, the sheets cool in his absence. She hugged the pillow to her chest, whispering into the darkness, "Please, don't get hurt because of me."
The storm outside had long passed, but inside both their hearts, a new one was brewing—one that would test the strength of their love against shadows determined to tear it apart.