The kiss had been clinical.
Fu Yao's lips had barely brushed hers, a dry, brief contact that tasted of expensive scotch and cold intent. It wasn't a seal of love; it was the closing of a deal. As they turned to face the crowd, the applause felt like a physical weight, a wall of sound that Li Yue had to push through just to breathe.
He didn't let go of her hand. His grip was a velvet shackle, guiding her down the aisle and out of the chapel.
They were swept into a whirlwind of flashbulbs and forced smiles. The transition from the chapel to the grand ballroom was a blur of handshakes from men who smelled of cigars and women who looked at Li Yue as if they were appraising a new piece of furniture.
By the time they reached the head table, Li Yue's face ached from the mask of the "Happy Bride."
"I need a moment," she murmured, leaning toward him as the third course, a delicate bird's nest soup, was placed before them.
Fu Yao finally turned his head. His dark eyes raked over her, noting the frantic pulse in her neck. "Okay," he said, his voice a low, gravelly vibration. "Do not stay too long or I'll assume you've forgotten your way back. I don't want to look for you."
Li Yue didn't wait for a second permission. She gathered her skirts and fled.
The heavy, gold-leafed door of the executive restroom clicked shut, finally cutting off the muffled thrum of the string quartet. Li Yue slumped against the cool marble of the vanity, her reflection vibrating with every shallow, ragged breath.
"If you pass out, I'm not carrying you back out there. That dress weighs more than my car."
Li Yue's eyes snapped to the mirror. Mei stepped out from one of the stalls, her emerald silk bridesmaid dress slit high enough to be a scandal. She looked like a storm in green lace, beautiful, cynical, and currently holding a glass of stolen champagne.
"Mei," Li Yue breathed, her shoulders finally dropping an inch.
"My baby," Mei cooed. She set the glass down and cupped Li Yue's face. "My little cutie bun. You really did it. You left the wreckage called Wei and landed right on the deck of a god."
Li Yue let out a weak, hysterical laugh. "Is that what this is?"
"Honey," Mei said, spinning Li Yue around to face the mirror. "Look at the facts. Your loser ex? He was a budget-brand sedan with a faulty engine. Fu Yao? He's a custom-built beast. I mean, look at him. He's easily ten times hotter than that spineless coward who dumped you. If you're going to be miserable and married, at least you're doing it with a man who looks like a dark god."
"He has only said a few words to me, Mei."
Mei's expression softened, her gaze becoming uncharacteristically fierce. "I know. You're in a heartbreak fog and you've just been handed a gilded cage. But you saved your family today,Yue. The Li firm is safe because you said 'I do.' Now, you just have to survive the night."
"And after tonight?"
"After tonight, we figure out how to handle him," Mei said, giving Li Yue's tiara a sharp, corrective tug. "We're in this together. Call me, if you ever need me. If I don't hear from you by 9:00 AM, I'm calling the police."
A heavy, rhythmic knock echoed against the door.
"Mrs. Fu?" The voice was deep, one of Fu Yao's security detail. "Mr. Fu is ready for the first dance. He says your five minutes are up."
Li Yue and Mei locked eyes in the mirror.
"Go," Mei whispered. "Be the perfect wife."
Li Yue smoothed her skirts and stepped out. Fu Yao was waiting in the hallway, leaning against the mahogany paneling. He wasn't on his phone. He wasn't talking to his guards. He was just watching the door with a terrifying, singular focus.
As she approached, he straightened up. He simply stepped into her space, his scent of sandalwood and heat enveloping her.
He placed his hand on the small of her back, a firm, heavy weight that guided her back toward the light and noise of the ballroom.