Bang!

Lin Shuangqing was flung ruthily, her back forcefully hit the bed edge. A sharp pain shot through her limbs and her fingers automatically curled. Whimpers and low moans escaped between her clenched teeth.

Pain...

She blinked through her tear-blurred eyes, only managing to see a tall figure looming towards her. His dark eyes were filled to the brim with an intense loathing so palpable, she could not overlook it.

She closed her eyes.

"Such a good actress now." Lu Jingchen sneered, slowly squatting down. His finger paused in mid-air before gently wiping away the moist trail running down from Lin Shuangqing's eyes.

Shaking, Lin Shuangqing instinctively crawled backward, her wide eyes shaking her head, "I didn't..."

Lu Jingchen's lips curved into a smirk, the force in his fingers increasing suddenly. With a sweep of his large hand, he roughly grabbed at her collar and dragged it apart.

"Stop!" Lin Shuangqing screamed, covering her ripped collar, her body shuddering, "Don't... I'm sorry...I'm sorry..."

"When you deliberately killed Mo Ning, why didn't I hear a single sorry then?" Lu Jingchen's lips lightly parted.

Past events resurfaced, and Lin Shuangqing was driven into the corner, covering her face as she crumbled, "I didn't kill anyone...."

Mo Ning was her cousin who had a rare disease and needed a bone marrow transplant. But on the day of the transplant, she did not make it in time and made a grave mistake. However, she did not intentionally do so. She was kidnapped right after stepping out the door, but even if she spelled out the truth, Lu Jingchen would never believe her.

"You carried out the act, you harmed the person, and now you're washing your hands clean as if nothing happened. Well, do you feel wronged?" Lu Jingchen's eyes slanted slightly, gazing upon her tear-stained face with an evident disgust.

Crack!

All that was left of her clothes was stripped apart.

Lin Shuangning instantly stood up, her legs weak as she ran toward the door, desperately guarding the last bit of cloth on her chest.

Her arm was suddenly grabbed tightly, and her body immediately lost balance, being tossed onto the bed.

“Ah!”

She panicked and pleaded in a low tone, “Lu Jingchen, I also didn’t wish to see Mo Ning die, at that time...”

“Do you know how disgusted I feel when her name leaves your mouth?” He held her chin roughly, pushing her forward.

Tears welled in her throat, unable to be held back.

“Lu Jingchen…” she began again, only uttering a name. All her grievances, unease, fear, pleas, and hope… they all erupted in an instant as her voice ended, shattering mid-air into a myriad of emotions.

Lu Jingchen squinted his eyes, swearing internally.

Damn… He was almost fooled by this woman's pitiful act before!

“Save your energy, acting does you no good with me.” His grip strengthened.

Lin Shuangning’s vision suddenly blurred, a feeling of queasiness rising in her stomach, her mouth and heart were filled with acidity.

She was kidnapped and held for three days, only allowed to drink water, no food. When she woke up again, she found herself here, under the harsh questioning of Lu Jingchen. Now, other than a stomachache, there was no other feeling left in her belly.

Lin Shuangning slowly closed her eyes, unable to breathe, she staggered backward. Her consciousness grew increasingly blurred, and her vision suddenly went dark...

Lu Jingchen felt the person beneath him go still, loosening his grip and furrowing his eyebrows.

“Lin Shuangning.” He started, calling out her name in a cold tone.

The person beneath him remained still, slender fingers limp at her sides, as if all strength had fled from her. Only the shine of tears in the corners of her eyes continued to overflow.

Lu Jingchen stared at her for a long while, then suddenly withdrew his hand, stood up, and began to turn around to leave. However, he abruptly halted.

"Damn it... you'd better not be deceiving me," he gritted his teeth and turned back around. With a bend of his long legs, he picked up Lin Shuangqing from the edge of the bed, threw her onto it, pulled up the blanket haphazardly over her, and then turned to leave the room.

"Get her some food." His deep voice echoed in the corridor, followed by the fading sound of his footsteps.

"Yes," a servant acquiesced, head bowed, timidly eyeing the floor only.