After breakfast, Lu Jinzhou took Zhou Wanning around the villa. “Do you like it?”
Like what? A place that might become her prison? Who would like that?
She remained silent, so Lu Jinzhou gripped her chin, a threatening glint seeping into his eyes. “Do you like it here?”
Zhou Wanning had a strange feeling that if she said no, Lu Jinzhou would crush her jaw.
“Why are you trembling?” He suddenly wrapped his arm around her waist, feigning concern. “If you don’t like it, just say so. There’s also a hillside villa, or you can choose a house in any location you prefer.”
He spoke as if discussing something completely ordinary.
She didn’t like any of it. She just wanted to go back to her own home.
“I don’t have a preference.”
No, everyone has desires—things they like and dislike. Lu Jinzhou believed that fulfilling a person’s desires would make them obedient.
“Stay here for now. In the future, wherever you want to move, we’ll move there.”
Zhou Wanning pushed his hand away. “What about Le Yu? What will happen to her? You can’t hurt her.”
The pleasant expression vanished from Lu Jinzhou’s face. “I don’t like it when you bring up other people between us. The only person you should care about is me.”
She didn’t need to worry about others. They were all outsiders. Only he and she were the most important to each other.
“What do you mean, ‘other people’? She’s my sister.”
“What does it matter if she’s your sister? A sister isn’t as important as a lover.”
Zhou Wanning took a few steps back. “What kind of thinking is that? She’s my family.”
Even if Zhou Leyu’s personality wasn’t the best, she was still family. She had once depended on her, calling her “sister.”
“From now on, I’ll be your only family, along with our children.”
Zhou Wanning stared at him in shock. “Lu Jinzhou, you… that’s a twisted way of thinking.”
“What’s twisted about it?”
Lu Jinzhou seized her shoulders, forcing her frightened eyes to reflect only him. “Ningning, your eyes should only see me. Do you understand?”
It wasn’t a question but a demand—he wanted her to confirm it.
Zhou Wanning couldn’t believe these were words spoken by someone who had known her for only three or four days.
She tried to pull away, but he held her arms tightly, refusing to let her escape.
“Answer me.”
In his pitch-black eyes, Zhou Wanning saw her own panicked reflection nodding. “I understand.”
Lu Jinzhou kept her locked in the villa for a week. Whenever she asked for her phone, he refused, claiming she didn’t need it as long as she was with him.
Zhou Wanning felt that if she were confined for another week, she would go insane.
Lu Jinzhou sometimes went out, saying he was going to the office, leaving her trapped in the villa with no way to leave.
Every meal was prepared for her, with all kinds of exquisite dishes and desserts. But no matter how delicious the food, without the right mood, it became tasteless.
Zhou Wanning tried asking the servants to borrow a phone, but not only did they refuse, they also reported it to Lu Jinzhou.
This man’s punishments were always unreasonable.
That night, he tormented her in the bathroom for a long time.
He believed she didn’t need social interactions or to contact anyone outside.
She just needed to obediently wait at home for him to return from work, rushing into his arms the moment he walked through the door, telling him she missed him.
When her period came, Zhou Wanning felt immensely relieved.
At least she wouldn’t have to endure that madman’s abuse anymore.
However, she was overthinking it. A man who had just tasted the forbidden fruit, faced with his beloved little white rabbit, how could he possibly not indulge?
Her wrist ached for two days, and on the third day, Zhou Wanning absolutely refused to do it anymore.
With reddened eyes, she accused him, “You only care about yourself. I’m exhausted and miserable, and you never consider my feelings.”
Her period already had her in a foul mood, and having to cater to this insatiable man left her physically and emotionally drained.
Lu Jinzhou kissed her cheeks and lips repeatedly. “I’m sorry, okay? I won’t make you do it tonight. Look how wronged you feel.”
How could she not feel wronged? She was a living, breathing person, yet she had been reduced to nothing more than a tool for him to vent his desires.
Not only did she have no freedom, but he also forbade her from having her own thoughts.
What he wanted wasn’t her—it was a puppet, a mindless doll that obeyed his every command.
“I want a phone. I’m so bored staying at home every day.”
Lu Jinzhou tightened his grip around her. “Who do you want to contact with a phone?”
Zhou Wanning sighed. “I just want to use a phone. You go out to work, while I’m stuck here staring at the servants. It’s incredibly boring.”
“You have access to all the streaming services. You can watch whatever you want—how can you still be bored?”
Zhou Wanning pushed him away. “Watching dramas all day won’t tire me out? I want to see interesting things online too. You won’t let me go out, and now you won’t even let me use a phone? Even the most ruthless landlord isn’t as harsh as you.”
She soon received a new phone, but it had no SIM card.
“If you don’t want it, give it back,” Lu Jinzhou said, reaching to take it back.
Zhou Wanning dodged his hand. Of course, she wanted it.
“My parents will be back from their trip soon. If I don’t return home, they’ll definitely suspect something.”
Even if her mother didn’t suspect anything, her father would surely worry.
“When they return, just tell them you went out traveling. I’ll send you back when school starts.”
School starts? That’s still over twenty days away.
“Can I go to the company with you?”
Zhou Wanning said obediently, “I’m really bored at home. Either let me go with you or let me go out for a walk.”
Even prisoners get time outside. How was she worse off than a prisoner?
This time, Lu Jinzhou didn’t object. “Fine, come with me. In the future, if you don’t become a teacher, you can accompany me to work.”
Zhou Wanning’s heart sank. Though she didn’t know him well enough, she knew that if this man had an idea, he would definitely act on it.
His sticky gaze remained fixed on her. Zhou Wanning dug her fingernails into her palm, knowing that Lu Jinzhou was expecting something in return.
He had granted her a favor, so she had to give something back—like taking the initiative to kiss him.
Zhou Wanning lifted her chin and kissed him on the lips.
Lu Jinzhou took control, kissing her until she was breathless. He mocked her slightly, “How come you still don’t know how to kiss after all this time?”
He pinched her cheek. “And you call yourself a teacher? So clumsy.”
Zhou Wanning thought to herself: You’re the smart one, a smart and perverted lunatic.
The next day, Lu Jinzhou took Zhou Wanning to the company.
She didn’t actually want to go to his company—she just thought that with so many people around, she might even see Zhou Leyu.
She had to tell Zhou Leyu what kind of person Lu Jinzhou was. She couldn’t let him continue to hurt both sisters.
And only by doing so could she escape this prisoner-like life.
Unexpectedly, she actually saw Zhou Leyu at Lu Jinzhou’s company.
“Le Yu, Zhou Leyu!” she called out Zhou Leyu’s name.
Zhou Leyu heard someone calling her and looked toward the main gate, then turned her head away as if she hadn’t seen Zhou Wanning.
Zhou Wanning wanted to rush over but was stopped by Lu Jinzhou, who grabbed her wrist. His eyes were filled with warning: “If you call out again, I’ll have someone take you back.”