Chapter 1: I Wish He Would Die in Prison
"Song Qi Nian!"
The angry roar jolted Song Qi Nian awake. Before she could fully open her eyes, a hand gripped her neck with brutal force.
"You actually climbed into my bed while I was drunk!"
Shen Chi Yan's face was ice-cold and terrifying. Song Qi Nian's heart raced as fragments of the previous night flashed through her mind. He had come home drunk, and she had helped him to bed. Suddenly, he had pressed her down, his kiss burning and domineering. Mute and powerless, she had been forced to endure his aggressive advances.
The entire night was a blur of relentless intensity. She didn't remember when she had finally passed out.
As she tried to reach out and explain, Shen Chi Yan gave her no chance. He threw her off the bed with contempt. Nearly naked and weak, she frantically grabbed the bedsheet to cover herself.
"Three years ago, you and your family schemed to force me to marry you, hoping to get your father released. And now you're trying the same trick again. Your whole family is the same!"
Her face went pale. Three years ago, Shen Chi Yan's former love, Lin Qiu Tong, had been kidnapped and left in a vegetative state after a terrible accident. Her father, Song Guanliang, was convicted as the prime suspect.
Song Guanliang had always claimed innocence, but the evidence was damning. He had sent the ransom message and was present during the accident. Convicted, he was sentenced to ten years.
To save her father and connect with the powerful Shen family, Song Qi Nian's relatives had drugged Shen Chi Yan and manipulated her into his bed. One night was enough for the Shen family's matriarch to demand their marriage.
Song Qi Nian remembered Shen Chi Yan's expression then: pure disgust, anger, and hatred. His look now was exactly the same.
She was a victim too, but he refused to listen.
"My dad is sick," she managed to communicate using a sign language. "I want him to be released for medical treatment. Please help me."
Shen Chi Yan's murderous anger erupted. His fingers cruelly pinched her chin, his handsome face darkening.
"Medical release? If it weren't for your father, Qiu Tong would be awake right now. I hope he dies in prison. What makes you think sleeping with me for one night changes anything?"
His grip was so strong she feared her chin might dislocate.
"My dad is innocent!"
In her memories, Song Guanliang was honest, simple, and hardworking. Kind to everyone, he'd work multiple jobs rather than borrow money. He couldn't be a kidnapper.
She had been investigating secretly, determined to clear his name. Just yesterday, when she visited him, he looked terrible - losing weight, suffering nosebleeds, in constant pain, sometimes coughing blood.
She was desperate for him to get medical treatment, but without Shen Chi Yan's permission, no one would help.
Seeing her unwavering belief, Shen Chi Yan's anger only intensified. "Innocent? The evidence is right in front of you!"
Before she could respond, he waved her away. "Don't gesture. It's annoying."
As he turned to leave, Song Qi Nian grabbed his trouser leg in desperation.
Shen Chi Yan looked down coldly. "Let go!"
"I'll donate blood to Lin Qiu Tong today, but only if you promise me something," Song Qing Nian communicated silently.
Lin Qiu Tong had a fragile health condition, requiring blood transfusions every three months. By chance, both Song Qing Nian and Lin Qiu Tong shared the same rare golden blood type, making Song Qing Nian her designated backup donor.
Suddenly, Shen Chi Yan grabbed her hair, sending a sharp pain through her scalp. His face twisted with rage, looking more terrifying than a nightmare.
"You won't donate blood unless I agree?" he snarled.
Pain shot through her. She wanted to scream but couldn't. She struggled, and in an instant, Shen Chi Yan leaned in impossibly close. Their faces were just inches apart. Song Qing Nian held her breath.
"Listen carefully," he hissed. "What happened to Qiu Tong is because of you and your father. If anything happens to her, I'll destroy your entire family. Now get out!"
His words sliced through her like razor-sharp blades. Trembling with fear, she knew he might target her father. Wrapped in a blanket, she fled to the basement - her designated living space since their marriage.
After their wedding, Shen Chi Yan had confined her to the basement. Last night had been an unexpected deviation from their usual arrangement. For Song Qing Nian, location didn't matter. Being Shen Chi Yan's wife, staying close to him was all that counted.
The basement was spartan - just a bed, a table, and a chair. Compared to Shen Chi Yan's luxurious bedroom, her space was cold and unwelcoming. Yet she had endured this for almost three years.
After showering, she overheard the servants whispering.
"That mute is shameless, climbing into the master's bed while he was drunk."
"Everyone knows the master loves Miss Lin. She's just occupying someone else's place."
"When Miss Lin wakes up, she'll be thrown out of the Shen family."
Song Qing Nian lowered her eyes. She knew her marriage to Shen Chi Yan was temporary. Once Lin Qiu Tong recovered, divorce was inevitable. But for now, every moment with him was precious.
When she finished preparing, Shen Chi Yan was already dressed - a black custom-made suit, dark shirt, and black tie. A silver tie clip added to his cold, ascetic appearance. His tall, slender figure commanded attention, his chiseled face achingly perfect.
No matter how many times she saw him, Song Qing Nian's heart would flutter. Her cheeks flushed, whether from the hot shower or from looking at Shen Chi Yan.
Wearing black leather gloves, he handed her a dark phone. His face remained expressionless. "You left in such a hurry. You forgot this."
She was stunned. Moments ago, he'd looked ready to destroy her. Now, he was returning her phone?
Taking the device, she saw the message on the screen. Her face instantly drained of color.
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