Chapter 52 Entanglement

Chapter 52 Entanglement

The morning mist drifted through the villa's French windows, and shimmering golden light streamed onto the carpet, creating a hazy, warm glow.

Lin Mianmian was awakened by the birdsong outside the window. When she opened her eyes, the cool, refreshing scent of Xie Lin still lingered around her nose.

She remained frozen, the memories of last night's entanglement surging up like a tidal wave, burning her cheeks.

The man beside her was breathing evenly, his arm still tightly encircling her waist, his fingertips unconsciously caressing the skin on her side, burning hot.

Lin Mianmian struggled slightly, but Xie Lin woke up. His eyelashes fluttered, and he opened his deep, bloodshot eyes, looking at her with an unyielding possessiveness.

"Awake?" His voice was terribly hoarse. He leaned closer, his thin lips brushing against her forehead. "Sleep a little longer."

Lin Mianmian turned her head away, her voice still nasal from just waking up, with a hint of barely perceptible awkwardness: "I'm going back."

Xie Lin's hand tightened suddenly, the tenderness in his eyes vanished instantly, replaced by a hint of obsession: "Go back where? This is your home."

The two were locked in a stalemate when the doorbell rang from the entrance hall, its crisp sound breaking the ambiguity and tension in the bedroom.

Xie Lin frowned deeply, clearly displeased at being disturbed.

Lin Mianmian's heart skipped a beat, and for some reason, she guessed who the person was.

Sure enough, a servant's respectful voice came from downstairs: "Young Master Bai, what brings you here?"

Bai Xiulin.

Lin Mianmian's fingertips instantly gripped the bed sheet, struggling to get out of bed: "I'll go open the door."

Xie Lin refused to let her go, and simply picked her up in his arms, his tone cold and hard: "I'm going to see him. You stay in the room and don't come out."

"Xie Lin!" Lin Mianmian cried out, raising her hand to punch his shoulder. "Let go of me! Brother Xiu Lin came to see me!"

Xie Lin didn't stop, carrying her downstairs. When they passed the living room, Bai Xiulin was standing by the French windows, his figure tall and straight, but his back view exuded an indescribable loneliness.

Hearing footsteps, he turned around and his gaze fell on Lin Mianmian in Xie Lin's arms, his pupils suddenly contracting.

Lin Mianmian's hair was a little messy, and she was still wearing the same clothes as last night. Faint pink hickeys were faintly visible on her neck.

Xie Lin's gaze towards her was filled with undisguised possessiveness.

Bai Xiulin's heart felt as if it were being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, the pain causing him to gasp for breath.

After returning home last night, he tossed and turned, unable to sleep, worried that Lin Mianmian would be wronged. He rushed over as soon as it was light, but he never expected to see such a scene.

His gaze swept over Lin Mianmian's reddened eyes, over Xie Lin's hands that were tightly holding her, and his throat felt like it was blocked.

A thousand words welled up in her mouth, but in the end, they all turned into a dry question: "Mianmian, are you alright?"

Looking at the heartache and sorrow in his eyes, Lin Mianmian felt a lump in her throat and almost burst into tears.

She turned her head away, not daring to look him in the eye, and said in a voice barely audible, "I'm fine."

Xie Lin hugged her tighter, resting his chin on the top of her head, and looked at Bai Xiulin with a full-on provocation in his eyes: "Bai Xiulin, you don't need to worry about my affairs with Mianmian."

Bai Xiulin's face paled, and the veins on his clenched fists bulged.

He looked at Lin Mianmian, his tone pleading: "Mianmian, come with me, okay?"

Lin Mianmian's heart trembled violently. She wanted to leave, but Xie Lin's strength was astonishing, and she couldn't break free at all.

Moreover, the tenderness of last night was like an invisible thread, tightly binding her and Xie Lin together, making it impossible for her to even utter a word of refusal.

Xie Lin sneered, picked up Lin Mianmian, and turned to walk upstairs: "She's not going anywhere, she'll just stay by my side."

Even after the bedroom door was slammed shut, Bai Xiulin remained standing there, staring blankly at the closed door.

Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, bathing him in its warmth, but it couldn't penetrate the chill in his heart.

He knew that from this moment on, there was truly an insurmountable chasm between him and Lin Mianmian.

That affection could only turn into a silent sigh, dissipating in the morning mist.

Several days passed in the blink of an eye, and Lin Mianmian was trapped in the villa by Xie Lin, unable to move an inch.

That afternoon, she was looking through her phone when she saw a message from Bai Xiulin. He had previously promised to tutor his younger brother and was asking when she would be free.

Lin Mianmian's heart skipped a beat. She remembered Bai Xiulin's chubby face and the way the little guy held her hand and called her "sister." Her heart was touched.

She looked up at Xie Lin, who was sitting on the sofa reading documents. After hesitating for a long time, she finally said, "Xie Lin, I want to go out for a while."

Xie Lin looked up, his sharp gaze landing on her face: "Where are you going?"

"Xiu Lin's younger brother is on summer vacation, and I promised to tutor him." Lin Mianmian's voice was very soft, with a hint of caution.

"I'll only be gone for a few hours, I'll be back soon."

Xie Lin's face instantly darkened. He put down the documents, stood up, and walked towards her step by step.

The tall figure exuded a strong sense of oppression, casting her in shadow. "You're not allowed to go."

His voice was as cold as ice, "Bai Xiulin's younger brother, why should you be the one to get tutoring?"

“I already promised him,” Lin Mianmian mustered her courage to retort. “A person cannot break their word.”

“Your rules don’t count with me.” Xie Lin leaned down, pinched her chin with his fingertips, and forced her to look up at him.

"Lin Mianmian, you are my woman. You can't go anywhere else. You can only stay by my side."

Lin Mianmian's eyes reddened, and a surge of grievance welled up inside her: "Xie Lin, you've gone too far! You can't restrict my freedom like this!"

"Excessive?" Xie Lin chuckled, a fanatical madness surging in his eyes. "I'd do anything to keep you."

As soon as he finished speaking, he leaned down and kissed her lips fiercely. The kiss carried a punitive undertone, domineering and passionate, lingering and caressing as if he wanted to devour her entirely.

Lin Mianmian struggled desperately, pressing her hands against his chest, but he grabbed her hands and pinned her down on the sofa.

Xie Lin's kisses gradually moved from his lips to his neck, leaving a series of burning marks.

His voice was deep and husky, with a hint of seduction, as he spoke in her ear: "Don't even think about seeing Bai Xiulin, okay? Stay obediently by my side, and I'll treat you very, very well."

Lin Mianmian's body trembled slightly, and tears slid down her cheeks, dripping onto the sofa.

She stared at the exquisite chandelier on the ceiling, her mind a jumbled mess.

She hated Xie Lin's domineering nature and his coercion, but the flutter in her heart spread little by little during his kiss, becoming uncontrollable.