A Star Reborn: The Queen’s Return

She gradually went quiet, probably from all the crying, or from feeling utterly hopeless.

Pei Ziheng combed her hair with his fingers as he said in a tender voice, “It’s all in the past now. From now on, we’ll live together blissfully.”

Live together blissfully? Things had turned so sour and so much had fallen apart…

There was no going back.

She asked very quietly, “Who’s the murderer?”

Pei Ziheng appeared to have expected this question from her. He said, “They haven’t found out yet. Don’t worry, when they get to the bottom of it, I’ll let you know immediately.” The murderer was Xia Yu; there was no doubt about it. He had already broken her limbs and tortured her in the basement for countless days and nights, before sending her to the Wang family who hated her to the core. He did not care about what Xia Yu would be going through over at the Wang’s. In any case, she wasn’t coming back alive.

But he wouldn’t let Xia Ling know this.

She already bore so much hatred towards him, he couldn’t let it get any worse.

Thankfully, she was so simple and naive. A lie was all it took to get past her question.

As he guessed, Xia Ling did not get suspicious or probe further. She pushed him away and got off the bed as she walked towards the door bare-bodied.

Pei Ziheng grabbed her arm swiftly. “Where are you going?”

She smiled ironically. “Where else? To shower.”

He pulled her back into his arms. She glared into his eyes, “What are you doing?!”

He lifted her chin without much force. “I don’t like the way you smiled at me.”

Xia Ling could not suppress the anger inside her. “Pei Ziheng, what right have you to control me?! Do you really think you’re a god?! Just a word of apology and I’m expected to return to you? You really think I’m that foolish? I’ll tell you, I hate you! I’ll never, ever forgive you!”

He looked at her calmly. “So what do you want me to do?”

She was silent.

What did she want him to do? To break up with her and let her off.

But she knew him too well. She knew that he’d never let her go.

Seeing that she wasn’t speaking, Pei Ziheng added, “I’ll make it up to you. I’ll pamper you and care for you more than I did before. Xiao Ling, don’t throw a tantrum over this anymore. Haven’t you always wanted a red Ferrari? I’ll give you one tomorrow, how about that?” She loved speeding, and her favorite was a Ferrari. She had owned one many years back, but he’d gotten angry when he found out that she was racing with someone else on a cliff. He had it scrapped and never allowed her to engage in such activities again.

Back then, she threw a tantrum over it for a long time. She had ignored him for almost a half month, and even changed the car logo of his Rolls Royce to a Hello Kitty. As those memories came to mind, Pei Ziheng’s lips curled into a soft smile. “This time, I’ll have no objection even if you want to turn the whole Imperial Entertainment building into a Hello Kitty themed one.”

She recalled those good times too and almost burst into tears.

But she kept it all in. “I’m no longer a child.”

“With me, you can always be a child.”

“Foolish and ignorant, and under your control? Pei Ziheng, I won’t be so silly anymore.”

“What exactly do you want?”

“Marriage, can you give me that?” Xia Ling looked at him, almost as if she was a soft rose with sharp thorns to protect her fragility. “Marry me, or let me go.”

Pei Ziheng suppressed himself. “Marriage is impossible, and I will not let you go.”

She knew he was going to give such an answer. She turned away, closed her eyes, and shut him out. He kissed her on the back of her neck and went lower, exploring her skin again. She was infuriated by his actions and attempted to push him away. But he grabbed hold of her and tossed her onto the bed once again, pressing her down and entering her, slowly but decisively. None of them made a sound throughout the process. They plunged into darkness and this seemed like a battle to the death—no one gave an inch.

The sky crumbled.

She thought, Nothing in this world can get worse than this.

She no longer talked to him or smiled at him. She even refused to share a table with him during mealtimes, unless and until he carried her to the table with a straight face, held her still and forced food through her clenched teeth.

Nanny Zhou was worried about this situation.

“Miss, you can’t go on like this.” When Pei Ziheng wasn’t home, she would advise Xia Ling. “Mister has your interests at heart, and he has his difficulties as well. You’ve had your arguments and unhappiness, but the road from here on is still long. You can’t be angry with Mister for life.”

“You’re his housemaid, of course you’re speaking up for him.” Xia Ling was unmoved.

Nanny Zhou kept quiet immediately and appeared slightly hurt.

Xia Ling suddenly smiled at her. “You know what’s my greatest wish now? I wish that he’d quickly marry a rich girl and that the rich girl would throw an air ticket in my face. I’ll take my leave instantly and go to a place that he’ll never be able to find me.”

“Miss!” Nanny Zhou was getting anxious.

Xia Ling smiled again. “Just kidding. You actually took it for real?”

Ever since she returned, she’d have a few bodyguards with her each time she went out. She had to remain in their field of vision, so there was no way to escape. Given how controlling he was of her, it was unlikely that he’d allow his new wife—if any—to interact with her alone.

She was in a daze for a while before looking up at Nanny Zhou. “I’m hungry, is there any food?”

Nanny Zhou was slightly stunned. “Didn’t you just eat with Mister?”

“The sight of him makes me lose my appetite.”

Nanny Zhou sighed and went to the kitchen to prepare some food.

Xia Ling did not have much of an appetite but still forced herself to eat. She couldn’t just sit around and wait for her death. What she needed to do was to conserve enough energy for her next chance at escape.

But it had been more than 10 days and not a single opportunity had emerged yet.

She had thought about going to Li Lei for help, but there was too much of a risk that Pei Ziheng would find out and ruin all her future plans for it.

She thought for a while and someone finally came to mind—Xia Yu. So much had happened recently that she’d actually forgotten to contact her sister. How was she doing now? She gave Xia Yu a call but it didn’t get through. Hence, she changed up and went straight to the chauffeur. “I want to go to Xiao Yu’s villa.”