10:30 P.M. — The Call That Almost Exposed Everything
It was already 10:30 p.m.
Anya had finished all the household chores—the dishes were spotless, and the living room looked immaculate. Zain had already had dinner and returned to his room. Only then did Anya finally let out a breath of relief.
She changed into her comfortable cartoon pajamas, put on her thick glasses, and left her hair loose, the soft waves falling gently over her shoulders.
She glanced at the clock.
10:44… 45!
Exactly at 10:45, her phone rang.
It was a group call from Huan Jing and Kaiya.
Kaiya had recently gotten married into a simple family, yet she was just as close to Anya as Jing was.
Part 2: Girl Talk and the Mystery of "Mrs. Yan"
The three girls began chatting as if they had to finish all the world's gossip in one night.
Neither Jing nor Kaiya had the faintest idea that Anya was currently staying in the most luxurious penthouse in the city—with Zain Yan himself.
Kaiya:
"Tomorrow's Sunday, girls! You're both free, right? We have to meet!"
Huan Jing:
"I'll come for sure. But Mei Wei nearly drove me crazy today. She kept saying she's Zain's childhood 'queen.' Still, I'm absolutely sure she's not his wife. So who is this 'Mrs. Yan'? Anya, did you hear anything in the office?"
Anya's heart skipped a beat.
Hiding such a huge secret from her best friends filled her with guilt—but she had no choice.
Anya (stammering):
"H-How would I know? I'm just a small employee. Maybe she's the daughter of some foreign business tycoon."
Part 3: Zain's Sudden Appearance and Anya's Desperate Cover-Up
Just then, a sound came from the kitchen.
Zain walked out to get some water. Seeing Anya sprawled on the sofa, he spoke without thinking, his deep, commanding voice filling the room.
Zain:
"Mrs. Yan, you're still awake? Do you know it's almost eleven?"
Silence exploded on the other end of the call.
Jing and Kaiya froze.
Huan Jing (shrieking):
"Anya!! Who just called you 'Mrs. Yan'?! And that voice—
That voice sounds exactly like our grumpy boss!"
Part 4: A Hand Over His Mouth and a Ridiculous Excuse
Anya nearly lost her soul.
She lunged forward at lightning speed and slapped her hand over Zain's mouth.
Zain froze in shock—no one had ever dared silence him like that before.
Anya's eyes pleaded desperately: Please, stay quiet!
She immediately brought the phone back to her ear and burst into exaggerated laughter.
Anya:
"Hahaha! Jing, you're imagining things! That's… that's the villain from a K-drama playing on my laptop! He keeps calling his wife 'Mrs. Yan' to threaten her—says he'll kill her if she doesn't sleep!
Doesn't his voice sound like our boss? That's why I love this drama!"
Huan Jing (suspicious):
"But the voice sounded so real… like he was actually standing in your room."
Anya:
"No way! I'm super sleepy now. If I'm late to work tomorrow, the real boss will kill me. Bye!"
She hung up immediately.
Part 5: Zain's Dangerous Smile
Anya exhaled deeply.
Only then did she realize—her hand was still covering Zain's mouth.
She was standing far too close.
Zain slowly removed her hand—but did not let go of her wrist.
Zain (low and icy):
"So… I'm a 'wild villain'? A rude tyrant who scolds his wife?"
Anya (adjusting her glasses nervously):
"That was just to shut Jing up! You suddenly came down yelling 'Mrs. Yan'—what would've happened if they found out?"
Zain placed both hands against the wall on either side of her, trapping her between them.
Zain:
"So what if they did? You are my wife. It's not a crime.
And how dare you cover my mouth?"
His face was so close that Anya could see her own reflection in his eyes.
His anger slowly transformed into something sharper—more intense.
Leaning close to her ear, his voice dropped.
Zain:
"So… I'm the villain of your K-drama?
Mrs. Yan, next time you want to silence me—don't use your hand. Think of another way."
Anya's face burned crimson.
Zain stepped away, smiling faintly, and walked back to his room.
Anya collapsed onto her bed.
She buried her face in her pillow, trying to muffle the frantic pounding of her heart.
Part 6: Old Memories and That Smile
Lying on the bed, the same images replayed in Anya's mind—
Zain opening the door wearing only a towel.
His fit body.
His abs.
And that teasing smile afterward.
She felt an unconscious smile curve her lips.
"How strange…" she whispered to the ceiling.
"The man who looks so stone-hearted at the office… how can he be so different at home?"
Part 7: The Bitter Taste of Reality
Suddenly, the smile vanished.
She remembered the contract locked inside her cupboard.
Marriage Duration: 12 months.
She shook her head violently.
"No, Anya! Wake up! You can't fall for him. This is just an act.
Zain Yan is a business tycoon—and you? You're just an ordinary girl he bought for his convenience."
Her eyes grew moist.
"When one year ends, he'll throw me out of his life like trash.
Girls like Mei Wei or Jia belong by his side—not me.
I must control my heart."
Jing's Doubt (Alone in Her Room)
Jing lay on her bed, staring at her phone.
She checked the call history—only two minutes long. Yet Anya's tone…
She had sounded terrified.
Huan Jing (muttering):
"TV volume? She's hiding something.
And that 'villain drama'—where did that suddenly come from?
That voice wasn't an actor's. It had authority… like someone standing right there, commanding her."
She messaged Kaiya—but it wasn't enough.
She dialed Anya again.
Part 8: The Threat
Anya, who had just fled from Zain's presence and was trying to steady her heartbeat, jumped when her phone rang.
Anya:
"H-Hello? Jing?"
Huan Jing (serious):
"Enough acting, Anya. I've decided.
Tomorrow night, the three of us are going out to dinner. No excuses."
Anya:
"But Jing… tomorrow I have office work, and I'm not feeling well—"
Huan Jing (cutting her off):
"If you don't come, I'll come to your house myself.
And I know exactly where you live. I'll see for myself which 'villain drama' is playing there. Got it?"
The moment Jing said come to your house, Anya broke into a cold sweat.
If Jing came—she'd discover that Anya wasn't living in a small apartment…
but in the penthouse of the richest man in the city—Zain Yan.
Anya:
"O-Okay! I'll come. Just don't come to my house…
Send me the location."