Du Yue hadn't realized what was happening until now, instinctively retreating toward the headboard, her trembling hands pulling her knees closer to her chest. Her eyes were bloodshot, brimming with tears that betrayed both humiliation and rage. Angry red welts marred her skin, as if branding her with the weight of everything she'd endured.
She admitted to herself that she had acted rashly—losing control without thinking—but… how could Chen Ze say such things? Even if he despised her, even if he sought every possible way to degrade her, he shouldn't have driven his words like daggers into her soul.
Chen Ze finally snapped out of his daze. A livid handprint glowed on his cheek, but he ignored it entirely, licking his lips smugly instead. In an instant, his demeanor shifted. Without warning, he seized Du Yue by the neck, wrenching her body toward him.
Pain exploded through her.
The agony twisted her features, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably. The sight seemed to bring Chen Ze some satisfaction, yet it also stirred something darker within him—a flicker of unease.
With little care for her condition, he roughly turned her over. The tattered remains of her clothing slipped away, leaving her back completely exposed. His gaze lingered involuntarily on the expanse of battered flesh before him. His pupils contracted sharply, fury igniting behind his dark eyes.
Not a single inch of her back remained unscathed. Deep purple bruises crisscrossed her skin, each one resembling the cruel lash of a whip. Patches of charred flesh stood out starkly against her pale skin, their freshness suggesting they couldn't be more than two days old—perhaps inflicted just last night.
For a brief moment, Chen Ze froze. Then, fragments of their earlier conversation in the car came rushing back:
"Mr. Chen, if you believe my punishment isn't enough, you can whip me with willow branches or burn me with cigarette butts—as long as it satisfies your anger! As long as it satisfies your anger…"
So, those words weren't mere pleas—they were echoes of reality. She had endured this torment before. That's why she had begged him to hurt her again, knowing full well it wouldn't be the first time.
A surge of violent rage coursed through Chen Ze. How could she suffer such inhuman treatment and never breathe a word about it? He grabbed her jaw, forcing her face toward his, and snarled, "Who did this to you?"
But Du Yue, overwhelmed by pain, had already slipped into unconsciousness. Chen Ze released her with a growl, finding no further amusement in the situation. Rising to his feet, he lit a cigarette to steady himself, though his hands shook so badly that the flame missed the tip several times.
Damn it all!
Chen Ze stormed out of the room, flinging open the door only to find Li Zheng waiting patiently outside. With a single glance, Chen Ze silently commanded him to follow. Together, they entered the study.
Standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, Chen Ze absently toyed with the cigarette between his slender fingers. His expression remained impassive, save for the fleeting sparks of anger dancing in his obsidian eyes.
Li Zheng, who knew Chen Ze better than most, immediately sensed the barely contained fury simmering beneath the surface. Frowning slightly, he wondered what could have set off such a reaction.
"Go to the mental hospital," Chen Ze ordered curtly, his voice laced with venom. "Find out who dared to use work as an excuse to punish Du Yue privately."
Private punishment?
Li Zheng hesitated for a fraction of a second. Someone had actually laid hands on Du Yue at the mental hospital? It wasn't entirely surprising—everyone was aware of the strained relationship between Chen Ze and Du Yue. Many would jump at the chance to curry favor with Chen Ze by targeting her, especially when frustration ran high.
Still, Li Zheng hadn't expected Chen Ze to react with such ferocity. He'd assumed Chen Ze would feel vindicated by Du Yue's suffering.
"Yes," Li Zheng replied promptly, careful not to overstep. Nodding once, he retreated from the study.
---
The next morning, Du Yue woke abruptly, yanked from sleep by a forceful tug that sent her crashing to the floor. Groaning softly, she forced her heavy eyelids open, her vision swimming. Every inch of her body felt wrong—alternating waves of chills and heat washing over her. Drawing on past experience, she knew without a doubt that she had developed a fever.