To claim what is mine.

Chen Yi pulled back and sucked in a deep breath. "This was not what I was-"

Li Luxian captured her lips again. He held her face in place. Only after kissing her to his heart content, he let go. He leaned in her forehead against her as Chen Yi tried to catch her breath.

"What was the meaning of this?" Chen Yi asked after stabilizing her breaths. Her forehead was still resting against Li Luxian.

"You still don't understand?"

Chen Yi pushed away and looked into his eyes. She bit her lips nervously. "Li Luxian..."

"Your marriage with me might be based on a contract. But it is not fake anymore. Why don't you understand by now? I married you because I liked you, Chen Yi." His eyes grew darker. "You don't understand your importance to me. Just a single word from you and I won't ever talk to Wang Hualing again. Forget about talking, just a single world and I will ruin her and her family for you."

Chen Yi was startled. The wall around her heart started to crumble. She bit her lips and tightened her heart. Last time she let that wall crumble, traumatizing betrayals followed. She suffered the wounds that changed the innocent and cheerful Chen Yi into the cold-hearted and unfeeling one.

"I am sorry if I hurt you. I can be shallow at times." Chen Yi looked down avoiding his eyes. "I understand your feelings for me but before the marriage I warned you, I can't return your feelings so soon." Chen Yi didn't want to hurt him. He had been so good to her. But the truth was the truth. And not telling the truth would hurt him more.

"Silly girl, you don't need to feel guilty about that." Li Luxian voice was light. He caught the sad look in her eyes. That was the reason he was not rushing. He didn't want to pressurize her and unintentionally hurt her. He wanted to take things slow for her sake. He wanted to go at a pace at which she was comfortable. "I told you I am willing to wait for you." He grabbed her chin and made her look into his eyes. "Just don't get close to any other man. That's all I ask. If you can get jealous of someone, then I can get jealous of others too. And when I get jealous it will be different from how you get jealous." His eyes darkened.

"Why would I get close to a man?" Chen Yi pouted. "What kind of a woman do you think I am?"

"A kind of a woman who can comfortably kiss a stranger to piss off her ex?" Li Luxian grinned stupidly at her.

Chen Yi glowered at him, irked at his foolishness: "You! That was a different situation. Why do you even mention it?" She pushed him off.

"But you did kiss a stranger. And you kissed him like a pervert."

"What do you mean like a pervert!?" Chen Yi was astonished. He was the pervert here, not her!

"Well, if you only intended to piss off your ex, a slight peck would do. But the kiss that night, it felt more than a slight peck." The tease on his face was clear. His expressions were rather smug: "Well I can't blame you. You wouldn't have been able to resist such a handsome man."

"You!" Chen Yi wanted to throw something at him. "Forget it. I am leaving." There was no use bickering with him. She had learned that by heart since the day, he had first visited her home. This man was a sadist. He loved torturing her with his smooth-talking.

"Where are you going?" Li Luxian poked his face. Chen Yi was taking some files out of the drawer. She had an intent look on her face.

"To claim what is mine." There was a gentle smile on Chen Yi's lips. But in her eyes, there was a chilling gleam.