Silence stretched between them. Marriage was supposed to be a joyful moment but to them…it was to escape their individual pressure.
"How about this then. Give me a child and I promise you I'll keep you in the limelight for as long as you wish.."
Yunyin nodded once, decisive, and rose from her chair. "Then it's settled."
Liang Xiyuan stood as well, his posture calm, unshakable. They shook hands, a grip that was less promise, more contract.
"I'll finalize the terms..." he said smoothly. "We'll sign them on our wedding day. Before then, we'll meet our families and discuss the date."
"Of course.." she replied coolly. Her smile was sharp, almost mocking. "But don't expect me to play the obedient bride."
His mouth curved into the faintest smirk. "I wouldn't believe it if you did."
---
[One Month Later]
Breaking News!
The wedding of the century has taken place! Han Yunyin, the nation's goddess and international supermodel, is officially Mrs. Liang.
The private yet extravagant ceremony held at the Han family's ancestral estate has already broken global records as the most-watched event of the year.
Photos of the breathtaking bride in her custom couture gown flooded the internet, every angle dissected, every detail magnified. Fans gasped, critics speculated, and business analysts whispered about the implications of this power union.
"Liang Xiyuan finally tamed the untouchable goddess?"
"Are they in love or is this the biggest business merger in Asia?"
"The Han-Liang wedding will reshape the industry for decades!"
"She's a vision, but is she happy?"
Even weeks after the vows had been exchanged, the world was still buzzing, magazines still printing glossy spreads, talk shows still debating whether this was romance or strategy.
Yunyin switched off the television with a flick of her wrist, the chatter of anchors silenced in an instant.
The glow of the headlines lingered on the dark screen like an afterimage.
She sighed, leaning back against the sofa cushions. It had been one month since she got married.
One month of cameras flashing in her face, headlines dissecting her every move, whispers about whether the goddess had finally been tamed.
And two weeks since she found out she was pregnant.
The word still felt surreal on her tongue, pregnant. She, Han Yunyin, the untouchable supermodel who once swore nothing would ever chain her down, now carried Liang Xiyuan's child.
But stranger still..... was him.
Xiyuan had been… unexpectedly nice. Nice in a way that disarmed her, confused her, made her wonder if she had stepped into someone else's life.
They even had a routine now, something that hadn't existed in that first cold, brittle month.
Around 7 a.m., without fail, he would step into her room. He'd pat her hair with a surprisingly gentle hand, as though smoothing the frayed edges of her rest.
Then he would pat her stomach, not in a possessive or clinical way but softly, as if acknowledging the life growing there.
"Anything you want?" he'd ask. Sometimes she'd shake her head, sometimes she'd toss out a craving just to see if he'd take the bait.
Other mornings he'd murmur, "I'll be back early for dinner.." before disappearing into his day of business and endless negotiations.
It was simple. Predictable. Almost domestic.
And it unsettled her more than his icy arrogance ever had.
Because last month, they were strangers armed with clauses and conditions, barbed words and colder smiles. But now… now there was something else threading between them.
Yunyin pressed her hand lightly against her stomach, her mind replaying his small, almost imperceptible smiles, the rare warmth that flickered in his voice when he thought she wasn't paying attention.
"Liang Xiyuan…" she whispered under her breath, lips curling faintly. "You really are full of contradictions."
Just as she said this, the door opened.
Just as Yunyin thought, Xiyuan walked in.
He reached out and patted her head.
"Good morning."
Yunyin's eyes narrowed as she smiled, looking at him. "Am I your grown-up dog? That you'd come here, every morning just to pat my head."
Xiyuan chuckled. His hand moving to her stomach.
"Do you dislike it? You're not exactly complaining."
Yunyin hissed and turned her face away.
The Liang family kept coming here.
She didn't want to tell Xiyuan, but she could feel their ill will.
If not for her maid warning her not to drink the tea they brought, who knew what would have happened.
Yunyin turned back to him.
"Let's move to a new house. Or let's live separately. Your family keeps coming here, and I don't like it. The moment they heard I was pregnant, your sister, who never cared about me, suddenly changed and even offered me tea. I don't feel safe here."
Xiyuan's hand paused.
His dark eyes lingered on her face. Calm, unreadable.
"Do you have any place in mind?" he asked softly. "Or should I choose?"
Yunyin shook her head. She slid out of bed, her bare feet touching the carpet.
"I don't mind somewhere secluded.." she said, her tone sharp. "I married to escape my family. I don't want people breathing down my neck now that I'm married. Family members shouldn't come into one's home as they pleased."
Xiyuan studied her back as she reached for her robe. His lips twitched.
"I thought you would prefer something closer to the city.." he murmured. "But secluded works too."
He reached for his watch, fastening it around his wrist with practiced ease.
"We'll have dinner at the new house then."
Yunyin looked over her shoulder. Her eyes were cool, but she gave a short nod. "Fine."
"Good."
Xiyuan walked toward the door. Before leaving, he paused and glanced back at her.
"Eat breakfast. Take the bodyguards if you go to work. You can't argue about that.."
Yunyin lifted her chin. "I wasn't planning to."
His lips curved faintly. Not quite a smile. Not quite serious.
Without another word, he left.
The room was quiet again.
Yunyin tied her robe tighter around her waist.
Her mind spun with thoughts she didn't say aloud.
Moving was good. Necessary. If she stayed here, the Liang family would continue to test her. And she wouldn't give them the chance.
Her hand brushed her stomach. She wasn't showing yet, but the thought of the small life inside her only sharpened her resolve.
This child was hers. Not theirs.
And if she had to fight for it, she would.