Chapter 18: Chapter 18

It was late after her snacks and tea in their suite, TangShi was tossing and turning uncomfortably, aware YuZhi would come up to bed soon. In only a couple of nights, she had picked up on his bedtime habit of around eleven twenty pm and wanted to be asleep before he showed up, but it wasn’t happening. She knew tomorrow night was the first of her fertile days on the schedule and the thought of having to let that man finally take her virginity and join their bodies, made her sick to her stomach.

It’s not that he wasn’t attractive, but his personality was foul and his attitude towards her made her cold and unwilling. She knew of course that it was inevitable and was the main purpose of this marriage, but it still didn’t sit well with her.

She was highly stressed about the impending D Day and had overworked herself into a frenzy of nerves as it approached. Her heart had sunk when the doctor gave her the fertility plan and she saw how close her first date was. She would just have to bear it and know that this would only happen sporadically and only until she fell pregnant.

She jumped a little internally when the bedroom door clicked open and thrust herself onto her side to face away from him, closing her eyes to pretend she was asleep, so they didn’t have to interact. She could hear him moving around after entering as he pulled off his navy three-piece suit and shirt, tossing them onto the ottoman by the window and stalking back to the bathroom before going inside and turning the shower on. He didn’t close the door, assuming she was asleep and only took a few minutes to shower before coming back out. She could almost time him such was his precise schedule every night before bed.

TangShi tried to will herself unconscious and didn’t dare to move as the scent of shower gel and shampoo wafted past her as he made his way to the walk-in closet on her side of the room. She didn’t dare look but knew he would only be wearing a towel and would dry himself and dress in there before coming back out. He had no qualms about parading about like that in front of her and she had figured out quickly it’s because he liked the shocked and embarrassed reaction he saw in her every time. He was a sadist for sure.

Her heart pounded through her chest, her nerves all over the place as she tried to ignore him but in her mind’s eye, she kept fixating on tomorrow night and what was expected of her. Somehow a damp, half naked YuZhi wandering around in the semi dark of their bedroom brought it home way more than having to sit beside him at dinner, that time was ticking down to a night where they finally would consummate their marriage. Everyone in the household assumed he had already done the deed with her given how fussy Aunt was being over her taking supplements and she knew it was unavoidable.

“I know your awake. You’re breathing like an asthmatic dying horse. It’s really attractive and I did consider that you might need CPR but couldn’t be bothered.” YuZhi swaggered back in by her side of the bed wearing only pajama bottoms and rotated his shoulder to ease the tension of the day before flicking on a lamp at the dresser and picking up the drier for his hair. TangShi ignored him yet opened her eyes to scowl at his back as he walked away. She rolled her eyes and folded her arms across her bust, riled so easily by the stupid things he always said to her.

“Tomorrow I’ll pick you up at eleven thirty, so be ready. We’re going somewhere. Don’t make me wait as I have a busy schedule and no time to hang around.” His tone was bossy, domineering CEO, and only made TangShi want to throw her bedside cup of water at him. She stuck up her middle finger at him by the side of the bed so he wouldn’t see, and it gave her great satisfaction to curse him out.

“Where are we going?” She asked stiffly. Not giving in to him and replying in his same curt manner.

“You’ll find out when you get there. Wear something that’s easy to take off. Don’t dress up, it’s nowhere public or flashy.” He was being evasive of looking her way and switched on the hair dryer to drown her out before she could ask anymore questions. Irritated by her mere questioning of their plans.

TangShi waited until he was done and laid it down, silencing it with a flick of the switch and turned back her way with a frown. She cursed herself for automatically eyeing up the six pack and abs and those rounded firm shoulders of a man who knew what a gym was for. Internally chastising herself that while also wanting to physically throw things at him, her brain couldn’t help taking a peek at the beauty of a very sculpted male body. He was a cover model for Men’s health a few months back and it’s no surprise given what he had to show off. He caught her travelling gaze and narrowed his eyes at her.

“Don’t get any ideas about tomorrow night…you’ll find out why before lunch.” He smirked, seemingly pleased with himself and padded to his side of the bed before sliding in and turning away from her smoothly. He reached out and flicked off the light, casting them in darkness once more but TangShi felt unexpectedly riled by him and no longer able to lie here and close her eyes.

“You at least owe me an explanation of where I’m going. I’m not a dog. I don’t just come when you click your fingers.” She snapped churlishly.

“Really? It seems like you have done these past few days. Maybe I should buy you a collar to clear up the identity crisis.” Sarcasm oozing in his voice and the under hints of utter disdain.

“Why are you such a jerk?” TangShi lost her temper, pushed by the ever cold nasty remarks he could never bypass, turning to his naked back sharply, glaring furiously at him and unable to simmer what he triggered. She hated that he of all people in the world could make her crazy with a sentence and complete lack of even trying.

“DNA probably.” He shrugged with one shoulder. Brushing her off with a comeback that did nothing to alleviate her growing temper.

“Haaa. At least you can admit it. God, if all those delusional fans out there could see the real you for five minutes, I’m sure all the swooning would stop.” TangShi violently plumped her pillow with a fist, rather crazily, lifting her head angrily to expel some of her fury and slammed her head back down on top of her newly fluffed mound and deflated it right back down.

“You get to see this side of me, and it hasn’t stopped you swooning all over me, so I think I’m good.”

“Oh my god, you’re insufferable. I have never swooned over you. I despise you and would rather sleep with any random hobo than endure you.” TangShi knew that was utter rubbish but she hated how he always had such quick and cutting retorts to anything she said and always with that smug tone that drove her insane. That cocky asshole and superior way of talking down to her that pushed her normally stable mood into that of a riled shrew.

“Sure about that? I mean your eyes were glued to me as I walked over, maybe I should test it. I hate liars.” YuZhi spun on her, rolling inwards when she least expected it and caught her wrists before she had a chance to react or figure out what was going on. He somehow maneuvered her in the flash of a blink, so she was under him with both wrists by the side of her head and his body positioned over her with enough weight to stop her being able to escape.

Caged in and held down, in military precision by a man who had stealth ninja skills. TangShi felt real fear for the first time in his presence since she met him and was no longer so sure he was a guy who wouldn’t hit her.

He brought his nose down to hers, his eyes locking on her in the almost pitch dark, so she was unable to glance away and instead became still and submissive out of sheer intimidation. His mouth strayed close so that her breathing stopped of its own accord, and he moved near enough that one tiny flinch and his lips would be on hers.

“You would rather sleep with a homeless man than let me touch you, huh? You don’t seem to be putting up much of a fight right now. Seems like I could do anything, and you’d let me.” He moved closer, his voice husky and low and it sent her stomach into a fluttering mess, his nose grazing the side of hers, his breath meeting her lips and TangShi was rendered completely mute. Her body froze, her heartbeat rapidly ignited into a booming frenzy and her whole body turned cold and goose bumped all over.