The vehicle responsible for the accident disappeared, leaving only its rear end visible. I tried to open the car door, but it was stuck. Shen Jinzhou lay inside, his face covered in blood, and spoke weakly, “You once said you wanted to get revenge on me… if I die, would you forgive me?”

I caught onto the word “die” instantly, my anger flaring up. “Shut up! If you dare— I’d never forgive you!”

He slightly lifted his hand, forcing a smile. “I really don’t understand anything. I just know that I need you, like a person needs air, needs water…”

I gripped his hand tightly, feeling life slipping away.

Shen Jinzhou blinked slowly. “If possible, could you… punish me for the rest of my life?”

I froze on the spot. He gradually closed his eyes, his voice fading, “As long as you’re by my side, anything is fine…”

Shen Jinzhou’s eyes shut completely. The world felt like it was paused, and my heartbeat stopped along with it. Something churned violently in my stomach, waves of heat and cold washing over me. My teeth chattered.

I held onto his hand tightly, bent over, and vomited bitter acid. My vision blurred. I wanted to call his name, but all that came out was a hoarse cry of agony.

Shen Jinzhou was rushed into emergency care.

Xu Fangtong arrived, her face filled with fear and uncertainty. Mechanically, I turned my head to look at her, unconsciously scratching at the flesh on the back of my hand. I felt warm, sticky liquid.

I asked, “What kind of deal did he make with you? Does this have something to do with your agreement?”

Grinding my teeth, dark thoughts of revenge flashed through my mind. I wanted to find the culprit and inflict every torment imaginable. Focusing back on her, I glared, trying to see through her façade.

Xu Fangtong’s face twitched, and she bit her lip. “He didn’t tell you because he didn’t want to drag you into this.”

I lowered my head, biting down hard, my stomach twisting in knots. My breathing became ragged. “Given the situation now, don’t I have a right to know?”

She took a tissue, pressing it to the bleeding spot on my hand. “Wipe the blood, then listen to a story.”

Xu Fangtong’s mother had died unexpectedly, and she knew her father was the murderer. She sought out Shen Jinzhou, using shares as leverage to get him involved, earning her father’s trust so they could gather evidence together. Shen Jinzhou needed those shares to free himself from his wife’s control.

Xu Fangtong’s gaze turned cold. “A few days ago, Shen Jinzhou said he found evidence and asked me to come quickly and verify it. Perhaps that made my father suspicious.”

She looked at me. “Shen Jinzhou and I are the same. We’re obsessive, twisted, possessive, and lack empathy. We’re good at pretending. We’d make great partners, but we could never be lovers.”

“You probably think he’s terrible around you because that’s the real him. We’re masters of disguise—unless we choose not to.”

I thought of something he’d said. “He told me he needed me.”

Xu Fangtong laughed softly. “That may be his way of defining love. Do you really have to define love by society’s standards? What do you think your feelings for Shen Jinzhou are?”

She leaned closer, drawing out her words. “Every time you look at him, it’s like a beast thirsting for blood, with the desire to devour him whole. He indulges you. Don’t you see that?”

I shot up, my face tense.

I finally understood Shen Jinzhou’s expression back at the hotel—it was hidden excitement.

I thought I had hidden my true nature well, but he had seen through me all along, enjoying the game of watching me try to conceal it.

She added, “Do you know why Shen Jinzhou never brought you to meet me? Because he knows I enjoy taming beasts.”

I glared at her sharply.

The surgery ended, and she went to meet the doctor, leaving behind a final comment.

“But now, it seems the beast has tamed its master.”

---

Shen Jinzhou didn’t suffer serious injuries and woke up quickly.

Xu Fangtong left with the remaining evidence, preparing to report it. Before she left, she took off her ring and placed it in my hand, telling Shen Jinzhou, “He knows everything now. The performance is over, and I don’t need this prop anymore.”

I remained expressionless, intending to return the ring to Shen Jinzhou’s table.

Shen Jinzhou said, “Next time, I’ll pick a prettier one for you.”

The ring felt scalding hot in my hand, and I almost threw it at his face out of shock.

He stared at me and murmured, “What were you thinking when you first saw me?”

“Rich guy. Bad temper. Trouble.”

He chuckled. “When I first saw you, I wanted to lock you up.”

I twitched my mouth slightly—he really did manage to do that.

His expression turned more serious. “But I realized, no matter what I did, you always silently accepted it, even if you didn’t like it. I’ve always needed you, but for you, all you needed from me was money. My engagement to Xu Fangtong wasn’t just for the reasons she mentioned. Another reason was that I wanted to make you angry, to see if you cared.”

He tilted his head, his eyes looking innocent. “That night at the hotel, I found out I probably went too far.”

I was still angry, my chest heaving with every breath as I thought about his accident. Clenching my fists, I had to convince myself he was an injured man and not to hit him.

I knew Shen Jinzhou could be extreme, but I didn’t realize how far he would go. Xu Fangtong, too, was impressive, managing to get Shen Jinzhou to work for her.

“I thought you were just going along with the madam’s plans.”

He let out a cold laugh. “Partially, yes, to throw her off. My grandfather believed only male heirs should inherit the family business. My mother never loved me—what she loved was power, and she wanted to control me to gain it. But I don’t want to be her puppet.”

“Soon, I’ll shake her off for good, and then she won’t be able to interfere with us anymore. When I said I was just playing with you, that was to fool her. Can you stop being mad at me now? If you’re still angry…”

He paused for a moment, hesitating. “You can punish me for a lifetime, like that night in the hotel…”

He looked at me cautiously, his fingers twitching slightly, his face tense.

I knew that was his nervous trick.