Chapter 5

Vivian POV

Before anyone could react, Ethan strode into the room with a chilling aura and yanked me up from among the male models.

I glared at him furiously.

"What are you doing? Let go!"

Ethan ignored me, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the room.

"All of you, get out."

His tone was cold and commanding, brooking no argument.

No one dared say a word. They scrambled out of the room.

In seconds, only the two of us remained.

I angrily shook off his hand.

"Ethan, what do you want?"

Ethan looked down at me, suddenly pulling his lips into a smile that wasn't quite a smile.

"What do I want?"

He repeated,

"Because you're upset about my business with the Parker family, you dare come to a place like this looking for male models? Vivian Hayes, where did all that obedience and propriety you learned over three years go?"

I was fine until he brought it up.

Mentioning it made a fire surge up from my heart, burning through all my organs.

I laughed coldly, looking him straight in the eye and throwing his own words back at him.

"Ethan, we're not married yet. I can do whatever I want. You have no right to control me."

Those words completely ignited Ethan's suppressed fury.

"I have no right?"

He laughed in anger, suddenly pressing me into the wide leather couch behind me.

I was caught off guard, my back hitting the soft leather.

Before I could react, his body was already bearing down on me, trapping me firmly between the couch and his chest.

"What are you doing?"

I struggled violently, pushing and kicking him with everything I had.

"Get off me!"

Ethan easily restrained my flailing hands with one hand, pinning them above my head.

"Looks like I've been too busy lately and haven't satisfied you properly, which is why you got the idea to go looking for other men."

"You bastard! Let go!"

My angry curses were silenced by his lips.

The kiss was punishing, brutal, with no tenderness whatsoever.

I desperately turned my head to dodge, but he gripped my jaw firmly with his other hand, immobilizing me.

In the chaos, I heard the crisp sound of a metal buckle being undone.

My pupils contracted sharply as an ominous premonition rose in my heart.

"Ethan, you wouldn't dare!"

"Watch me."

He was breathing hard, his eyes completely red.

"Since you don't remember the rules, I'll remind you right now what happens when you go looking for other men."

Before he finished speaking, he pressed down hard.

I instantly tensed my entire body, every sound stuck in my throat, the pain making my vision go black.

Pure possession and punishment. I felt utterly humiliated.

"Bastard... you bastard! Ethan, let me go! I'll kill you!"

With my limbs pinned down, I cried out, tears rolling down uncontrollably.

But my struggles and curses only earned me rougher treatment.

I don't know how long it lasted. It felt like an entire century.

Finally, it stopped.

Ethan leaned down and bit my earlobe.

"Remember this feeling. Will you dare again?"

I lay limp on the couch, my eyes red and swollen from crying.

He reached up to brush the hair from my face, his tone softening slightly.

"Vivian, don't blame me. I just love you too much. Seeing you with other men drives me crazy. So don't try to provoke me like this again, okay?"

I was actually amused by his shameless words.

I opened my mouth, about to speak.

Just then, panicked shouts came faintly from outside.

"Fire! The room next door is on fire!"

"Run!"

"There's someone still inside... it's Miss Parker! Miss Parker is still in there!"

The man who had been lying on top of me murmuring sweet words suddenly stiffened.

"Vivian, I have an emergency. I need to leave for a bit. Wait here for me. Don't go anywhere. I'll be right back!"