badly tempted

Lian Que could have readily accepted her offer because he wanted nothing more than to marry her. He loved her but...he was certain that she did not feel the same as his metallic grey eyes scrutinized her.

The fiery emotion in her eyes was not desire but determination.

A pang of disappointment hit him as he briefly glanced at the television screen and back at her.

He then had a faint blueprint on why she was suddenly proposing marriage to him. She wanted to use him and the thought alone was enough to anger him.

He had been manipulated most of his life and he had been keen to avoid the traps set for him but he was so badly tempted to fall into the one before him.

Lian already had plans to tie her to him but he could have never seen her proposal coming. Lisa was ambitious when it came to getting the things that she wanted but she was never reckless and rushy to make long term decisions that could impact her life and yet marriage was serious enough. Maybe she just didn't really care much.

"Why?" Lian asked in a rather composed voice as he slid his arms around her small waist and tugged her to him.

Lisa met his gaze with an unfathomable one as she tried to ignore the warmth that was seeping into her cooled skin from his closeness.

"Why do you want to marry me, Lisa?" He asked again as his dark eyes attempted to search the depths of her soul.

"I need your help." She replied honestly as she tore her eyes away from his.

"With what?" Lian asked, trying harder to supress his anger. At least she was honest about her intentions. She wanted his help and not him.

"I want to take back everything that belongs to me." She replied and Lian placed his index finger beneath her chin so that she was looking at him.

"Fine." He agreed and Lisa's eyes shone with something akin to joy.

"But...I am not going to marry you, Lisa." He then added and her eyes dulled as she looked at him.

"Why, is it because you have a girlfriend?" She asked and clenched her palms into fists as she waited for his reply.

Lisa knew that offering her hand in marriage to this man whom she immensely hated was a crazy and impulsive idea but it was the only way to ensure that he did not back out of their agreement.

A marriage was much more permanent than just said words and she could always get a divorce whenever she wanted to. The arrangement afforded her the freedom she needed.

"No, I don't have a girlfriend." He replied and Lisa's eyes probed him to elaborate his decision to reject her.

"I am not going to marry you simply because I have nothing to gain from this union." He said matter of factly and Lisa bit down on her tongue.

He was right. She was a dethroned, broke heiress that had nothing to offer him except...

Lisa swallowed hard at the shameless idea that had entered her mind. She knew her next sentence was going to make her sound like a real bitch but she was just done caring. About anything other than getting her revenge.

"You can have my body." She offered and Lian's eyes flashed with surprise and then shock. He could have never imagined those words leaving Lisa's lips.

The woman before him was not the sweet, innocent and loving woman that he had fallen for.

She had changed and the cold and emotionless look in her eyes as she said those words pierced his heart.

Did she really think so little of him?

"I want... your heart." Lian replied as he pointed softly on the left side of her chest, right above her heart.

Lisa's body tensed as she averted her eyes away from him.

"That's the one thing that I cannot give you, or anyone else for that matter." She whispered softly and yet certainly.

The small beating part of her heart that was still left was for herself. She knew it was selfish but all that she had been through was enough to justify it as a means of protecting herself.

Lisa shivered when the air around her got heavier because of the deadly and dangerous aura that was emitting off the man before her.

She looked up again and Lisa was certain she had never seen Lian Que look so angry.

His hands around her loosened and he took a step away from her.

"Sit." He said to her through gritted teeth and Lisa silently obeyed because she did not want to face his wrath.

He then sat on a chair opposite from her and filled her plate with food.

"Eat." He said curtly and Lisa looked down at her plate.

He had made her favorite food. Medium steak rare and salad and she started to dine silently.

Lian had never been as angry as he was as he looked at the woman before him.

His appetite was gone and he only clenched his fork in his hand tightly as he watched her to make sure that she ate enough food.

She had surprised him so much that he didn't even know what to do with her.

All that she had been through had certainly changed her and not for the better and he had to deal with it.

As he looked at her, he was reminded of a time in his life when he was more like she was at the moment.

Closed up and afraid of letting anyone in until she had walked into his life and showed him that he could do so much better.

"I will help you." He said softly once she was done eating and then he stood up and walked away without waiting for her reply.

He was still angry but the only thing he could do to make her feel better was to give her what she wanted.

Lisa watched his disappearing silhouette and it didn't take much to know that she had screwed up. Badly.

Lian Que was angry with her but he had still agreed to help her.

That, was good enough for now, right?

She tried convincing herself as she sipped on some fruit juice.

Lisa had eaten to her fill and she had to admit that the food was amazing. Lian Que had surely learned how to cook and she could have paid him a light compliment if he wasn't angry with her.

A light, melancholic sound reached her ears and Lisa carefully stood up and traced it to it's source.

Her eyes landed on Lian Que who was seated before a black piano, effortlessly playing it's keys with his eyes closed.

The piano was located just beneath a window and the silvery glow of the moonlight illuminated his perfect features and Lisa blinked as she watched him.

Couldn't he be any less perfect?

She was about to turn and leave when she heard him sing.

He could also sing!? Lisa had never heard him sing and knowing him for quite sometime, she was certain he couldn't but then again, she was surprised.

Lian Que had changed and Lisa frowned slightly.

She couldn't tell whether the change was in a good or in a less favourable way.

"He is so handsome, isn't he?" A voice sounded behind her and Lisa nearly shrieked in both shock and surprise as she turned to see who had dared to startle her.