Chapter 64 Embers and Glimmers
The daylight arrived as expected, dispelling the darkness in the room, but it could not dispel the gloom in Su Yan's heart.
The servants knocked respectfully and entered, lowering their heads and submissively changing the bedding. Their movements were quick and quiet, as if they were simply handling a mundane task. They didn't spare a glance at Su Yan, who was curled up in the sofa, but that tacit silence embarrassed him more than any strange look could have.
The aches in his body constantly reminded him of what happened last night. Huo Shen's scent, his touch, his declaration of "You are mine, inside and out," haunted him like a ghost.
He felt like an object that had been used, cleaned, and awaiting its owner's next visit.
Huo Shen left the apartment early in the morning without a single word. Assistant Zhou also didn't show up. In the vast space, only Su Yan and the pervasive, suffocating silence remained.
He forced himself to get up and walk into the bathroom. The warm water washed over his skin, but it couldn't wash away the feeling of being deeply invaded, marked. In the mirror, the young man's pale face was marked by the dark circles under his eyes, and the mottled marks on his neck and collarbone were even more glaring. He abruptly looked away, his heart tightening.
All day, he was distracted. When he read, the words were unattractive; when he ate, the food tasted like chewed wax. Physical exhaustion and mental exhaustion left him drowsy, yet he couldn't truly fall asleep.
In the evening, Huo Shen came back.
He was still wearing a well-tailored suit, his expression stern, showing no trace of the loss of control he had felt last night or the tenderness he had shown afterwards. He didn't even spare Su Yan a second glance, walking straight towards the study, as if Su Yan was no different from the sofa and coffee table in this apartment.
Su Yan's originally tense heartstrings strangely relaxed a little because of this complete neglect, and then he was filled with deeper humiliation and a kind of loss that he himself had not even noticed?
He was, indeed, just an object. Used when useful, discarded when not.
Just when he was feeling discouraged, Huo Shen came out of the study with a document in his hand. He walked up to Su Yan and handed him the document.
"Let's see." His tone was flat, and no emotion could be heard.
Su Yan took it hesitantly and looked down. It was an internal assessment report on the Su Group's recent financial situation and the Southeast Asian project. It was much more detailed and shocking than what he had seen on the news. The report clearly revealed the huge financial hole and potential legal risks facing Su Chen. The situation was far worse than he had imagined.
"This is..." Su Yan raised his head and looked at Huo Shen in confusion.
"Give your brother a way out." Huo Shen looked down at him with deep eyes. "I can suppress this information for the time being, and even give him some bridge funding so that he has a chance to deal with the mess in Southeast Asia."
Su Yan's heart skipped a beat, and he clenched the documents in his hand. A way out... Huo Shen's vague promise seemed to become more concrete at this moment.
"What are the conditions?" He heard his own dry voice.
Huo Shen leaned over, approached him, and gently lifted his chin with his fingers, forcing him to look at him. The look in his eyes was no longer the madness that burned last night, but a calm, scrutinizing look, like a merchant assessing the value of goods.
"The condition is," Huo Shen's fingertips caressed the delicate skin of his jaw, his tone slow and clear, "you. Completely obedient, absolutely obedient, and... no longer have any inappropriate thoughts or actions."
His eyes swept meaningfully towards the study door, and it was obvious that he still didn't completely believe that the USB flash drive incident had nothing to do with Su Yan.
"Exchange your absolute obedience for Su Chen's chance of survival. This deal is fair, isn't it?" Huo Shen's mouth curled up in a cold arc.
Su Yan looked into his bottomless eyes, in which his pale and struggling face was clearly reflected.
He was once again pushed to the crossroads of decision. Last night's physical possession was the first step, and at this moment, Huo Shen wanted him to offer the absolute submission of his soul.
He looked at the document concerning Su Chen's fate, and felt the irresistible touch on his jaw, knowing that he had no choice. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, there was only a dead silence in his eyes.
"……good."
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