A Star Reborn: The Queen’s Return

Xia Ling looked out the car window — the path she had come from had disappeared into the jungle, and she could no longer tell which tree it was that she had crouched under. She counted her blessings, thinking that Pei Ziheng could not have seen her clearly. On second thought, she realized that he had always been one who managed to maintain his usual demeanor, even if he had everything figured out.

She looked at him with some apprehension.

Pei Ziheng reached out and caressed her face. He stroked her eyelids, her nose, her lips, all the way down the back of her neck and then pulled her towards him.

Xia Ling dared not move.

He was so close that she could feel his breathing.

She felt a coldness on her lips and realized that he had pressed his lips onto hers.

Xia Ling got a shock and instinctively began struggling. He exerted more force and pinned her to the seat while keeping his lips on hers so she would not make a sound.

She was worried and afraid now. Pei Ziheng rarely forced a kiss on her in this life, but now, he was pushing her to a hold a kiss with him despite her resistance. It reminded her of the days in captivity about three years back, and all of that oppression and aggression that came with it…

When Xia Ling tried evading him, he would bite her mercilessly, as ferocious as an alpha wolf. He forced her jaw open, almost as if he wanted to eat her from the inside out, and let the smell of blood fill the air between them. Frightened and in pain, Xia Ling would try to pull away once more and throw punches and kicks at him, but he would grab her wrists and dictate her movements.

“Xia Ling,” his lips now parted from hers slightly, his breath quivering. “You are mine.”

The muffled words were domineering.

He was acting different today and seemed like he had gone back to the cold, ruthless self who held her captive. Xia Ling was utterly controlled by him and had no power to defy his wishes. She now leaned on the back seat of the car as he pinned her down with his weight.

Helpless, she tried to escape his clutches.

He held her down with one hand, while the other found its way around her clothes and tugged at it, causing the buttons to fall out and the fabric to rip apart. Her fair skin was revealed right before him, tempting as ever.

The air-conditioning of the car was on full blast, causing her to shiver in the cold.

“No…” Her voice was shaking. There was no way she could move under his weight, and panic rose inside her. Ever since she returned to him, she had made conscious efforts not to think about when or where he would possibly take advantage of her. But now, it felt like there was no running away.

It was right here, right now.

He had no intention of letting her go.

Xia Ling looked at him pleadingly as her tears came out. She now knew that he had definitely seen Li Lei talking to her. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be reacting this way.

“It’s my fault…” She cried, “Don’t be like this…”

Pei Ziheng’s face still looked thunderous. He was not appeased.

Xia Ling could not get any more embarrassed. They were in the back of his Rolls-Royce, and the chauffeur was right in front; he could see everything if he just lifted his head slightly.

She suspected that the chauffeur already knew what was going on.

She remembered the year she was held captive. He would take her out sometimes to places that were safe and private enough. Once, she had angered him while they were out, and he had forced himself on her as punishment in this very car.

Back then, the chauffeur was not the only one in the car, Chu Chen was in the front passenger seat as well. Although there was a sound-proof glass divider between the front and back seats, she dared not resist or make a sound. All she did was to stuff her fist in her mouth so she would not scream in fear or anger. She passed out for a while after that, and when she woke up, her arms had been tied together, and there were blood stains on the seat.

History was repeating itself.

Pei Ziheng forced her into a corner and turned her around as he began ripping away at any fabric left on her.

She felt the blood rushing to her head, and shame and fear struck her… there were so many emotions at once that she felt like she was about to implode. She reached for the door handle.

“You’re crazy!” Pei Ziheng pulled her back. The car was speeding on a freeway, was she courting death?!

Xia Ling covered her bare body with her arms as she tried to evade his touch. She had not given up on opening the car door.

Pei Ziheng grabbed both her hands. “Don’t forget what you promised me! No running away, no killing yourself! Are you going back on your words?!”

She was still for a second before her will to reach for the door faded.

Pei Ziheng tied her hands together with the clothes he had taken off her, and then held her chin up, forcing her to look straight into his eyes. “Xia Ling, you’re getting brave now, seeing someone you shouldn’t be seeing in my territory, huh? Have I been too nice to you, that you’ve forgotten whose woman you are!”

“Don’t touch me.” She curled up and whispered.

Pei Ziheng laughed out of anger. “Do you think that’s possible?” He had given her too many chances, taking care of her and abiding by her wishes with patience and tolerance, waiting for the day she would willingly hand herself to him. But what did he get? Her meeting another man in private!

He would not take this lying down.

Since she created this scene, he would jolly well play along!

The car drove into their villa and came to a stop.

Pei Ziheng roughly picked her up and carried her into the room, then tossed her onto the luxurious bed.

Xia Ling wriggled on the bed with her hands still tied up, but he held her still immediately and opened her legs. “Pei Ziheng, you’re mad!” She sounded like the mad one, her voice was so shrill she was barely audible.

Pei Ziheng looked at her coldly. His strong build was like a still mountain, weighing down on her so sure. “Relax.”

With no power to defend herself against his strength, and seeing that he was advancing towards her, she screamed in utter fear. “I’m pregnant!”

“What?!” He stopped whatever he was doing and looked at her in disbelief. “What… did you say?”

Seeing that he was stunned, she pushed him away and backed off to the corner of the bed. “I’m pregnant.” She took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down. “It was that night, it’s your child.”

That said, she looked up at him anxiously.