𝐅𝐞𝐢┃18+

┃57┃

“.. I'm not a doll,” Fei whispered, her voice trembling but resolute.

Yang’s hardened expression faltered for a moment, his eyes searching hers. A brief silence fell between them, heavy and charged.

“So this is how you view my love now?” he said bitterly, his words ringing in the air like a quiet storm.

For the first time in his life, the man felt his controlling position challenged, and that too regarding his most prized possession.

His authority, so meticulously maintained, now stood precariously on the edge, teetering under the weight of her unwavering defiance.

Fei’s heart clenched at the bitterness in his tone. She looked away, feeling the weight of his accusation. Yang’s face hardened again, a shadow falling over his eyes as he spoke with finality.

“Stop this childishness.”

The words stung. Fei felt a sharp pang in her chest. He always considered her thoughts childish, never taking them seriously.

She started to question her standing in their marriage, and the more she thought about it, the more trapped she felt.

Her resolve crumbled as she feebly leaned against his chest, her body trembling. The warmth of his body was a stark contrast to the coldness of his words. Yang’s arms instinctively wrapped around her, his grip firm but uncertain.

Fei’s mind raced with conflicting emotions. She wanted to push him away, to make him understand her pain, but she also longed for the comfort of his embrace.

The turmoil inside her was overwhelming, and she couldn't decide whether to fight or surrender to the complexities of their relationship.

“Do you truly believe that by defying me, you can change the nature of our relationship?” Yang asked, his tone softer, almost reflective. “Do you think that by asserting your will, you will gain what you seek?”

Fei’s lips curved into a faint, sad smile. She didn’t seek to change him; she sought only to be seen, to be heard, to be valued for who she was, not just for her obedience.

She understood that his love was fierce, it was also demanding which required her obedience and submission. But then, what of her love? Does it not deserve the same respect, the same consideration?

At first, she thought she could heal him, believing her love and patience would mend the cracks in his hardened exterior.

But the more she tried, the more she found herself breaking, her spirit bending under the weight of his relentless control.

The gentle balm of her affection seemed powerless against the iron will that defined him, leaving her to grapple with the growing realization that her own strength was slowly eroding in the process.

Fei felt the sting of failure, a terrible, inescapable failure. Her selfless love, once a source of strength, had turned into her own enemy.

She had poured everything into healing him, into bridging the chasm between their hearts, only to find herself unraveling.

The very love that should have saved them both now seemed to tighten the chains around her, leaving her trapped in the prison of her own making.

But..not anymore.

Fei’s gaze lifted silently, her eyes filled with a quiet determination as she pressed her hands gently against Yang’s chest.

The touch was firm but gentle, a clear signal of her decision to maintain her resolve. Her expression was serene, though it held a firmness that spoke of her unwavering stance.