Addicted after marriage - Chapter 3:

Three quiet knocks sounded against the heavy office door.

Come in.

Heart racing, Luo Shu pushed the door open.

Yu Zhan sat at his desk, still working. Unlike that morning, his suit jacket was gone,

his black shirt unbuttoned at the collar, his tie hanging loosely to the side.

The faintest trace of last night’s kiss mark was still visible on his neck.

He leaned back in his chair with that careless elegance of his lazy,

refined, and just the right amount of dangerous.

Luo Shu stepped inside. Behind her, Shen Yan quietly closed the door.

The soft click of the latch was deafening to her ears.

President Yu, you asked for me.

He glanced at her, eyes sharp behind his glasses, then turned his gaze back to the computer.

Silence stretched between them, long enough to feel like a punishment.

Finally, he rose to his feet and walked toward her.

It was hard not to stare. His features were sharp, his skin fair, his build lean but powerful.

The kind of man who looked like he’d stepped straight out of a luxury watch advertisement.

Even standing in heels, she barely reached his chin.

Her eyes flickered down before she could stop herself

she still remembered the feel of his abs beneath her hands in the bathroom last night,

hard as carved stone.

She swallowed hard. Great, now she was thinking about that again.

President Yu, was there something you needed?

Her tone was calm, her posture perfect, but her mind was chaos.

Sit down.

He gestured toward the sofa.

She obeyed, keeping a safe two-meter distance.

Closer.

He patted the seat beside him.

After a moment of hesitation, she moved over.

Yu Zhan’s eyes lingered on her face. She fidgeted, fingers twisting together in her lap.

Does it still hurt? he asked.

She froze, then quickly shook her head.

Was this man really trying to review last night’s… activities?

Do you have any thoughts about what happened?

Her gaze flicked toward him. His collar was slightly open, revealing that elegant line of his neck,

the faint red marks that she had put there.

President Yu, I’m so sorry. I drank too much last night. I didn’t mean to do something so foolish…

No need to apologize.

He cut her off with an even tone, sitting back and studying her profile.

Last night, I was the one who started it. You kissed me first,

but after that everything that happened was my decision.

Please don’t

Her face burned. As if living through it once wasn’t mortifying enough.

We’re both adults, she said quickly. It happened, that’s all. Let’s just pretend it didn’t.

So I’m a one-night stand to you?

His expression darkened, voice low.

You misunderstand, she said, ears bright red.

What did he want? To continue this… whatever it was?

He had seemed so composed, so self-controlled this morning.

Then his voice dropped, smooth and deep.

How about trying to be Mrs. Yu?

What?

For a moment she thought she’d misheard him. Their eyes met. His were calm, impossible to read.

I didn’t use protection last night, he said casually. If you end up pregnant, we’ll keep it.

If not, I’ll still take responsibility.

He said it as if it were nothing more than a business proposal.

Luo Shu fell silent.

He came from a family of scholars and wealth, raised with old-fashioned discipline.

A man like that probably couldn’t stomach the idea of moral debt.

She, on the other hand, had no illusions about herself.

She was the illegitimate daughter of her mother and some unknown businessman.

Her childhood had been full of whispers and shame.

Getting involved with someone as spotless as Yu Zhan would only drag him down.

And besides—after what Qin Heng had done to her, she wasn’t ready to let another man in.

I’m sorry, President Yu. I didn’t mean anything by what happened.

I already took the pill this morning, so you don’t have to worry.

I don’t want to be Mrs. Yu, and since you feel guilty about last night, let’s just consider it over.

Please don’t mention it again.

Yu Zhan’s gaze deepened, the shadow of his glasses unable to hide the storm in his eyes.

She stood, ready to leave.

Wait.

He rose, watching her with an expression she couldn’t decipher.

He was one of the most powerful men in City A. Women threw themselves at him daily,

yet this one this quiet, stubborn designer had managed to say no.

She turned back, steadying her breath.

Is there anything else, President Yu?

Add me on WeChat.

He lifted his phone, showing her his QR code as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world.

She blinked.

Next month, the company’s sending a team to Fashion Week in S Country, he added.

You and Director Nan are both on the list. If you don’t want to go, pretend I didn’t say anything.

He paused, then added, And as for what I asked earlier you don’t have to answer right away.

Take your time.

Typical businessman, she thought bitterly. With a few calm sentences,

he’d already pushed her where he wanted her.

Still, S Country’s Fashion Week was an opportunity few designers ever got.

Saying no would be stupid.

She scanned his code, added him on WeChat,

then decided that his final question wasn’t worth responding to.

Back at her desk, Ye Li pounced the moment she sat down.

How was it? Is the president’s office as luxurious as they say?

Honestly, Luo Shu hadn’t looked around much she’d been too busy dodging his questions.

You’ll have to experience it yourself someday, she said with a teasing wink.

I’ll recommend you next time.

Ye Li shuddered. I thought you were going to get carried out on a stretcher.

Before Luo Shu could answer, Nan Huainan came jogging over,

practically glowing with excitement.

Miss Luo!

Everyone turned to look. His grin was almost suspiciously wide.

Director Nan, she said, standing automatically.

Ever since last night, the memory of Yu Zhan’s commanding voice

had made her uneasy around men with authority.

Good news! Headquarters just released the list for S Country Fashion Week

you and I are both on it!

I know, she said quietly.

No surprise there. It wasn’t hard to guess that Yu Zhan had

given her the slot to make up for what happened between them.

The whole department buzzed with excitement. Some celebrated, some grumbled.

The younger staff were inspired; the older ones muttered about fairness.

Luo Shu ignored it all and kept working.

Her phone buzzed.

Shu, are you free tonight? Let’s go watch a movie. It was Qin Heng.

She smiled faintly. Some people were truly shameless

comforting their side chick while pretending to be perfect boyfriends.

Sure, she replied.

Then she took a screenshot of the chat, posted it to her private social

feed visible only to her best friend Liao Xian, and added the caption:

Five years, still the same.

It didn’t take long for Liao Xian to respond.

Sweetheart, what movie are you two watching tonight?

I’m going too! What time’s your show?

How diligent, Luo Shu thought coldly. She deserved a medal for dedication to the act.

Without replying, Luo Shu locked her phone and got back to work.