When I got to Lu Xinran’s hospital room, she was already asleep. There was a middle-aged woman I didn’t recognize, a caregiver Fu Shenyan had hired. She gave me a simple greeting, explaining that he had asked her to stay and look after Lu Xinran. Seeing she was in good hands, I saw no reason to linger. I left the hospital and caught a cab back to the villa. After the long night, it was already early morning by the time I arrived. The exhaustion, likely amplified by the pregnancy, hit me all at once, leaving me drowsy. I went straight to the bedroom and collapsed into bed. I was pulled from a hazy sleep by the acrid taste of cigarette smoke. My heart jumped at the sight of a dark figure sitting by the bed, but as my vision cleared, I realized it was Fu Shenyan. I had no idea when he’d returned. The air in the bedroom was thick with smoke, the doors and windows sealed shut. A lit cigarette smoldered between his long fingers. Judging by the haze, it hadn't been his first. “You’re back,” I said, sitting up to face him. He never smoked. To be doing so this brazenly in our bedroom meant something was wrong. He didn’t speak; his dark eyes were just fixed on me, deep and bottomless. I couldn't read them. The smoke was becoming suffocating, so I threw back the covers to open a window. As I passed the sofa where he sat, he shot out a hand and pulled me into his lap. His arms clamped around me, the force of his grip frighteningly tight. “Fu Shenyan!” I struggled, repulsed by the stale smoke clinging to him, but he wouldn’t let go. I quieted, turning to look at him properly. “Have you been drinking?” I hadn’t noticed before, but now, this close, the reek of alcohol was unmistakable. “Don’t you hate me?” he asked, the question coming from nowhere and catching me completely off guard. He was frowning, a fine layer of stubble shadowing his sharp jaw. He must have been too busy to shave. “I do,” I answered, trying to pry his iron grip from my waist, but he only held on tighter, as if he’d never let go. I was getting completely lost. “Fu Shenyan, what’s wrong with you?” “Will you take it back?” His dark eyes, hazy now—perhaps from the drink—were locked on mine. I had no idea what he was talking about. “Take what back?” He didn’t answer. Instead, his hands began to explore, and I knew instantly what he wanted. Instinctively, I grabbed his hand to stop it. “Fu Shenyan, it’s Shen Shu,” I said, my brow furrowed. “Not Lu Xinran. Look at me.” He said nothing, simply sweeping me into his arms. A storm of kisses, frantic and tasting of liquor, crashed down on me. “Fu Shenyan, it’s Shen Shu! Look at me!” Panic clawed at my throat. I cupped his face in my hands, forcing him to see me. A flicker of exhaustion crossed his features. He stared at me for a long moment, then grunted a single syllable. “Mm.” And then he ripped away the last of my clothing. His suit was a mess of wrinkles, the jacket discarded at the foot of the bed. He tore open his own white shirt, and the sight of him fumbling with his belt buckle shocked me back to my senses. The baby. This couldn't happen. While he was distracted, I shoved him away with all my might, scrambling off the bed. I snatched the duvet, wrapping it around my body. “Fu Shenyan, you’re drunk,” I said. Without another word, I fled the bedroom. I quickly changed and left the villa. I couldn't stay. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to keep this child safe if I did.