My family was falling apart. The Lin Corporation stood on the precipice of bankruptcy, and I, the dutiful, compliant daughter, had become high-end collateral.

“Qianqian is such a good girl. Once she marries into our family, we’ll make sure she’s well taken care of,” Old Mr. Pei said with a benevolent smile, looking at me like I was the ideal prospective daughter-in-law.

At my father’s subtle nudge, I fell seamlessly into character. I lowered my head, offering a shy, modest smile. “Thank you, Grandfather.”

Pei Yu lounged back in his chair, scanning me from head to toe as if evaluating a new plaything. “Honestly, her being this tame works for me. At least she won’t be able to keep me on a leash.”

The words had barely left his mouth when Old Mr. Pei slammed his cane onto the floor with a sharp crack. “Watch your mouth! Try stepping out of line again and I’ll break your legs!”

Pei Yu winced, rolling his eyes. “Fine, whatever. She’s way too boring anyway.”

The cane came down on him without mercy. His mother scrambled to intervene, and in seconds, the formal dinner table dissolved into complete chaos. I remained frozen in my seat, my fingers twisting tightly together beneath the table. The gaze from the man across from me was cold enough to send a chill straight down my spine.

Last night, suffocating under the weight of this arranged marriage, I had dragged my best friend to a bar to drown my sorrows. I got drunk—completely out of my mind. I vaguely remembered leaning heavily on Jiang Mo, slurring my grievances. “Babe, I’m totally broke… Can you cover me tonight?”

When I woke up the next morning, my entire body was sore. Lying beside me was a absolute masterpiece of a man—long lashes, a high-bridged nose, and features sculpted by the gods. My mind was a total blank, saving for a foggy memory of me demanding an escort. Looking at him, all I could think was: Oh God, someone this gorgeous must cost a fortune… and my wallet is dead empty.

Panicking, I pulled out my last two hundred yuan, stuffed it into his trousers as a “courtesy tip,” and bolted.

Who could have guessed that the “escort” was actually Pei Moheng—the head of the Pei Group, and my fiancé’s uncle. Life really had a twisted sense of humor.

Back in the present, his shoe was still hooked inside my skirt, and that vibrant hickey on his neck remained impossible to ignore. Out of nowhere, his low, raspy voice from last night echoed in my mind: “Relax.”

And then… I had bitten him, hard.

Instead of getting angry, he had let out a low chuckle. “A feisty little alley cat, aren’t we?”

Shortly after that, I had passed out cold. Everything beyond that was a complete blur.

“Qianqian, darling, what do you think?”

My mother’s voice snapped me back to reality. Startled, I yanked my leg back, dodging his dangerous touch. “Huh? What was that?”

My mother frowned slightly. “We were just talking about the engagement and picking a wedding date. How does that sound to you?”

I instantly reverted to my good-girl persona. “Whatever everyone decides is fine with me.”

“Why is your face so red? Do you have a fever?” She reached out to touch my forehead, but I flinched back. “No… I think I’m just wearing too many layers…”

In reality, my eyes had just caught sight of Pei Moheng’s hands—long, elegant fingers with prominent knuckles, casually laced together on the table. My brain automatically replayed visual fragments from last night, sending a wave of sheer humiliation over me. The only reason I was wearing a turtleneck today was to hide the evidence of my own crime.

The two families resumed their mutual flatteries, until—

The stem of the crystal wine glass in Pei Moheng’s hand shattered. Every eye at the table snapped toward him.

Unbothered, he picked up a napkin and calmly wiped his hands, his tone utterly indifferent. “My apologies. I used a bit too much force. The glass quality leaves much to be desired.”

I sat there, my back stiffening. For some reason, I had a terrifying feeling that the next thing to break… was going to be me.

Old Mr. Pei shot him a sharp, contemplative look. “Is your hand alright?”

“It’s fine,” Pei Moheng replied coolly. “Please, continue without me. I have a minor matter to attend to.” With a polite nod, he stood up and strode out of the room.

My eyes tracked his retreating figure, my lips pressing into a tight line. Unfortunately, that brief, stolen glance didn’t escape my mother’s notice. She leaned over, her voice dropping to a harsh whisper. “Lin Qianqian, let me make one thing clear—a man like Pei Moheng is way out of your league. You could never handle him.”

Before I could even process that, she added, “Besides, the Pei Group is going to end up in Pei Yu’s hands eventually anyway. Marry Pei Yu and play the good wife. That’s your best path.”

I pulled my gaze back and kept my head down. “I understand.”

Truth be told, Pei Yu was just a spoiled, arrogant playboy—predictable and easy to read. Pei Moheng, on the other hand… he was the kind of man who would destroy you before you even realized what mistake you’d made. Compared to him, Pei Yu was practically a breeze to deal with. At the very least, our family could still leverage some control over him.

Pei Moheng only held the reins of the company because Old Mr. Pei had retired, and his older brother—Pei Yu’s father—was, to put it gently, completely unfit for business. Word was he had nearly run the enterprise into the ground years ago until Pei Moheng stepped in to salvage the wreckage. Ever since, the patriarch had stripped the eldest son of all authority, handing total control to his youngest.

While the parents continued planning the wedding as if hosting a festival, Pei Yu sat glued to his phone, his face cold as he texted someone. An overwhelming restlessness washed over me—I couldn’t tell if it was because of this forced union, or because of the shadow left behind by the man who had just walked out.

Excusing myself to use the restroom, I slipped away from the suffocating atmosphere of the private room.

I was wandering down the hallway trying to find the washroom when—grab.

A strong arm hauled me violently into a dimly lit storage closet. The door slammed shut behind us with a heavy thud. He pinned me against the wall, his hot breath brushing against my ear. A large, calloused hand clamped tightly around my waist, brimming with raw possessiveness.

“My little alley cat…” His voice was low, lazy, and laced with amusement. “Still trying to play the innocent sweet girl? You’re a terrible little thing, you know that? Hitting and running after a hit-and-run… and leaving two hundred yuan behind… Was that supposed to be my bride price? Hmm?”