Lucian jolted awake, his chest rising violently as his heart pounded against his ribs as though it wanted to burst free.
His jaw throbbed from clenching his teeth during the episode, and the metallic taste of blood lingered in his mouth where he had unknowingly bitten the inside of his lip.
Cold sweat soaked through his clothes as his numb fingers struggled to obey him.
Ever since he was a child, he had suffered from these strange episodes during the night.
He would suddenly convulse while sleeping, his body losing control as severe insomnia continued to torture him.
He had gone through countless medical examinations, tried different treatments, and visited numerous specialists, yet no one could find the true cause of his condition.
Over the years, he had learned to endure it, but recently everything had become worse.
Strangely, the only peaceful night he had experienced in years was the night he spent at the penthouse with that woman.
For the first time in a long while, he had slept through the night without an episode, without convulsions, and without waking up in agony.
Yet ever since that night, the attacks had returned with even greater intensity.
They came more frequently and left him in far more pain than before.
Even while he was resting, they would strike without warning, making it difficult for him to breathe.
Many times, he would unconsciously grit his teeth so hard that he ended up hurting himself.
Lucian forced himself to stabilise his breathing as he got out of bed.
His tall figure moved towards the bathroom, every step carrying the exhaustion he refused to show anyone.
He lifted his heavy body under the cold shower, allowing the freezing water to pour over him, hoping it would calm the chaos inside him.
After a while, his condition improved slightly.
He stepped out of the bathroom, his broad chest rising and falling slowly as water droplets slid down his perfectly sculpted body.
He tied a towel around his waist, his dark hair still damp and falling slightly over his forehead.
His sharp features, deep eyes, and cold expression made him appear almost unreal, a man whose elegance and danger existed at the same time.
His breathing was still uneven after the shower.
His fingers trembled slightly as he reached for the cigarette pack on the table.
He took one out, lit it, and allowed the smoke to spread through the room.
He inhaled deeply, letting the familiar taste of tobacco settle on his tongue as he tried to calm his restless nerves.
“Are you okay?”
Leon entered the room and immediately noticed something was wrong.
Lucian’s pale face, his damp black hair sticking against his forehead, the smell of cigarettes filling the air, and his uneven breathing were all impossible to ignore.
Unlike Lucian, who possessed an intimidating aura that made people instinctively keep their distance, Leon carried a completely different temperament.
He was calm, refined, and graceful.
He was tall with a well-built body, his appearance carrying a noble elegance that made him seem like a knight from an old painting.
His blonde hair cascaded over his shoulders, giving him an almost angelic appearance.
While Lucian controlled most of the Fu family’s businesses and handled the major decisions of the group, Leon focused mainly on the Fu construction groups.
Under his management, the company had expanded greatly because of his excellent judgement and strong decision-making abilities.
“Aren’t you supposed to knock?” Lucian asked coldly, throwing him a sharp glance.
“I did, brother, but you didn’t answer. I thought something happened,” Leon replied.
He had been knocking for several minutes, but Lucian seemed completely unaware of the sound.
“Are you really okay, brother? You don’t look well,” Leon asked again with concern.
To Leon, Lucian was not just his older brother.
He and Wei Lu were the only family he had ever known.
“I’m fine, Leon. Don’t worry about me,” Lucian answered, suppressing his discomfort.
He didn’t want Leon to notice how bad his condition had become.
“What’s wrong?” Lucian asked.
“Mum wanted me to remind you about the art appraisal tomorrow night.
Lucian’s expression immediately darkened.
His mother had been constantly pressuring him recently.
Everything she did was connected to the Fu family’s interests and reputation.
As long as something could bring more power and wealth to the Fu Group, she would pursue it without hesitation.
She had been insisting that he marry the first young lady of the Zhao family, and Lucian knew very well that this art appraisal was nothing more than a chance for both families to move closer.
It was another step towards the marriage alliance she wanted.
“I understand,” Lucian said lightly as he walked towards the closet.
“You may leave now.”
Leon was already used to his cold temperament.
He simply looked at him for a moment before turning away.
“You’ll be fine, older brother.”
After Leon left, Lucian stood silently in front of the closet mirror.
For a long time, he stared at his own reflection, barely recognised himself anymore.
Ever since that day, he had become a completely different person.
Everything inside him had changed, and now he was expected to marry the woman who had caused his life to become this miserable.
He couldn’t accept it.
But at the same time, he couldn’t ignore what it meant for the Fu Group.
A dark expression flashed across his face.
“Huh…”
A low sound escaped his throat as he suddenly punched the mirror.
The glass shattered instantly.
Blood slowly dripped from his hand, but he didn’t seem to feel the pain.
At that moment, all he could feel was the anger burning inside him.
___
Meanwhile,
Mei slowly regained consciousness.
When she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was an unfamiliar room.
It was small and empty, with only one window and a simple bed that occupied most of the space.
The room carried a cold metallic smell, as if it had been sealed away from the outside world for a long time.
Her brows furrowed.
What was happening?
Her head felt heavy, her vision blurred slightly, and a constant ringing filled her ears.
She struggled to remember what had happened.
Slowly, fragments of her memories returned.
She remembered leaving the villa, remembering the guard who attacked her, remembering trying to use her needles on herself before everything suddenly went black.
That guard must have hit one of her nerves hard enough to make her lose consciousness.
Mei forced herself to sit up and looked around carefully, searching for any clues.
When she looked outside the window, she realised it was already dark.Her eyes narrowed and she recognized this place.
She was still inside the villa and she needed to find the fastest way out,She immediately tried opening the door, but it was locked tightly from the outside.
Her expression became colder.
Looking around, she searched for anything that could help her pick the lock.
She found a few small pins and tried to work on it, but after several attempts, she realised it was not an ordinary lock.Her strength slowly left her body and she stumbled backwards and fell onto the bed, and for the first time that night, fear began to creep into her heart.
Mei curled herself into the corner of the bed, repeatedly trying to calm herself.
Darkness and water had always been her greatest fears.
She hated the feeling of being surrounded by darkness, hated the helplessness it brought.
Being trapped in a room where she couldn’t see anything made every instinct inside her scream.
She didn’t know how long she stayed like that.Time passed slowly until the heavy door finally creaked open.
Mei immediately sat upright, uncoiling herself from the corner.
A bright light entered the room, making her eyes narrow.
For a moment, she felt a small sense of relief.
A maid walked inside carrying a tray.
Instead of placing it properly, the maid put it on the floor as if she was ordering Mei to crawl over and take it herself.
The humiliation instantly angered her.
“Take your food away,” Mei said coldly, staring at the maid.
They had already treated her like she was worthless, constantly trying to humiliate her and make her life difficult.
The maid looked at her with disdain.
“You still have the attitude to talk like this? Look at your current condition.”
She sneered.
“If you don’t want to eat, then don’t.”
With that, she kicked the tray slightly before turning away.
“That reminds me, Master An said he will come here tomorrow. He is waiting for your answer.”
After leaving those words behind, the maid walked out and closed the door.
Once again, the room returned to silence and darkness.
Mei stared at the food on the floor.
Her stomach churned from hunger, but the moment she looked at the meal, she lost her appetite.
The food was cold and stale.
The bread had already hardened, the scrambled eggs looked dry and tasteless, and the water beside it carried no warmth.
She only picked up the water and ignored everything else, Her mind returning to what the maid had said.
An Zhao wanted her answer, he wanted her to choose.She didn’t want to marry into the Fu family.
But at the same time, she couldn’t allow anything to happen to her grandmother.
For Grandma Li’s sake, she had to make a decision before dawn, but for now, she needed rest.
Her eyelids became heavier, and her exhausted body slowly began losing strength.However, the pain spreading through her body refused to let her relax.
As the night grew deeper, Mei realised that this night was destined to be another sleepless one.