Chapter 6859
Why didn't you wake me up!
Zhou Keying vaguely remembered...
The Zhou family would no longer tolerate her willfulness.
It was a gloomy evening. As usual, she opened her personal email account to deal with some work-related emails.
However, an email from her family was like a bombshell, instantly shattering her peaceful life.
The cold family ultimatum was sent directly to Zhou Keying's private email address. The wording was harsh and left no room for negotiation: "You must return to your ancestral home in the provincial capital within a week. Otherwise, the Zhou family will use all its power to freeze all your assets and cut off all your sources of income until you bow down."
Zhou Keying stared at the lines of glaring text on the screen, feeling a chill run from the soles of her feet straight to her head, her fingertips icy cold.
This was not a discussion; it was an ultimatum, an inviolable order from her family.
Once she boarded the plane back to the provincial capital and stepped into that solemn and oppressive ancestral home, her fate was clear and cold.
She could almost see what the ancestral home looked like—an ancient and massive building with high walls separating it from the outside world, like an independent world.
Stepping through that heavy door, one is met with a stifling atmosphere and strict rules.
She will be placed on the negotiating table of family interests, used as a bargaining chip to consolidate the alliance, and married to a man she has never met, let alone loved.
Her life will be put up for sale at that moment, like a commodity waiting to be picked and bought by others.
Thinking of this, her heart was filled with despair and helplessness, and tears welled up in her eyes, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall.
A strong sense of suffocation, like a surging tide, instantly gripped her.
It felt like an invisible hand was gripping her throat, making it hard for her to breathe.
She felt her world spinning at that moment, and all the pressure and despair weighed heavily on her heart like a mountain.
She slammed the laptop shut, the sharp "snap" sounding particularly jarring in the quiet room.
Immediately afterward, like a startled fawn, she frantically grabbed her handbag and rushed out of her luxury apartment on the top floor of the city center, her steps unsteady yet urgent.
That apartment, once her warm haven, a place where she could rest peacefully when she was tired, now felt like a huge cage, making her not want to stay there for even a moment longer.
As she stepped into the elevator, her pale face and tightly pursed lips were reflected in the mirror.
His face was as white as a sheet of paper, devoid of any color; his lips were pressed tightly together, as if he were trying to suppress the pain and despair in his heart.
She stared blankly at herself in the mirror, her eyes empty and lost, as if her soul had been ripped away.
She needed to escape, even if only temporarily, from this suffocating sense of oppression.
where to go?
She didn't know; all she knew was that she had to leave this place, to leave this place that made her feel so oppressed.
She drove that sleek sports car aimlessly through the city's streets and alleys.
That sports car was like a wild horse, galloping freely through the brightly lit city streets.
Neon lights cast mesmerizing streaks across the car windows, their vibrant colors flickering like a dreamlike performance.
However, these beautiful lights could not penetrate the cold pool in her heart.
Her heart was like a cold lake, covered by a thick layer of ice, which could not be melted by the warm sunshine outside.
Finally, the car stopped in front of a bar with understated yet luxurious decor. The bar's exterior wasn't ostentatious, but it exuded a mysterious and noble aura.
The dim, soft light at the entrance seemed to be telling untold stories.
She needed something to numb her nerves and temporarily forget her troubles and pain.
Walking into the bar, she followed the example of what she saw in the movies and ordered a cocktail with a fancy name.
The cocktail, with its vibrant colors, resembled a dazzling fireworks display, making one eager to explore further.
She gently lifted the glass and slowly slid the spicy liquid down her throat.
In an instant, a strong burning sensation spread from her throat to her entire body, causing her to furrow her brows and display a pained expression.
But she forced herself to take another sip.
This time, a bitter taste filled her mouth, a taste just like her mood at that moment, full of helplessness and sorrow.
She had thought that this wine, like in the movies, would help her forget all her troubles and bring her relief.
However, after a few bites, her head began to spin, and her thoughts became even more chaotic and confused.
The shadow of the arranged marriage clung to her like a leech, impossible to shake off.
She seemed to see her future life, a world without love or freedom, where she was like a bird imprisoned in a gilded cage, never able to spread her wings and fly.
We definitely can't go back to the villa.
Zhou Keying knew very well that as long as she set foot in any star-rated hotel that the Zhou family could easily monitor, her mother, the ever-elegant and composed yet ruthless Madam Xia, would inevitably appear precisely in the hotel lobby within ten minutes of her check-in.
Mrs. Xia always wore an exquisite suit, her hair was neatly styled, and she wore a polite smile, but behind that smile lay a chilling majesty.
With an undeniable family will, she would gently yet firmly "invite" her back, like a ruthless catcher dragging her back into the cage that caused her so much pain.
Thinking of this, Zhou Keying couldn't help but shudder. She didn't know where to go or what to do. She felt that the future was shrouded in darkness, with no hope in sight.
The damp, cold night wind blowing on my face slightly dispelled the dizziness brought on by the alcohol.
She stood on the street, took out her phone, and swiped through her contacts.
My fingertip paused on the name Yun Yuyan.
In the ancient city, a place rife with fame and fortune, Zhou Keying had very few friends because of her inherent arrogance.
Yun Yuyan, her college roommate, is gentle and unambitious. She is probably the only person with whom she can let her guard down and with whom she has a fairly good relationship.
Moreover, Yun Yuyan and she were business partners, very close partners. She trusted her, and her partner trusted her too.
Then she slept in Yun Yuyan's room, but who would have thought that after going to the bathroom in the middle of the night, she would become drowsy...
Thinking of this, her pretty face flushed red, as if it had been scalded. She thought she had returned to Yun Yuyan's room, but who would have thought that she had actually come to Xiao Chen's room.
"I...I don't care! You...you're a man...why didn't you wake me up!"
Yun Yuyan was becoming somewhat incoherent, because she knew she was in the wrong. (End of Chapter)