He seemed unwilling to bring up that humiliating night, his voice filled with disgust.
"It's because I like you!" Su Wan immediately retorted, "Although the way I liked you was wrong..."
"You drugged me and abused me!" Lu Shiyan pressed closer to her, the chill emanating from him making it impossible for her to breathe. "Miss Su's affection is truly extraordinary. Now there's even an illusory child to threaten me..."
"It's not illusory!" Su Wan shook her head desperately, tears finally rolling down. "It's real! If you don't believe me... just wait a while, and you'll know!"
She knew these words were weak and powerless, but without evidence, she could only say this.
Lu Shiyan stared at her, complex emotions churning in his dark eyes. Her tears, the desperation in her voice, her body trembling despite her forced composure...
All of it seemed to be trying to prove her words.
But how could he believe? How could he dare to believe?
This woman had ruined everything for him, turning him into what he was now. He wished he could drink her blood and eat her flesh!
"Time?" He repeated her word mockingly. "You think I'll still give you time?"
He raised his hand, his fingertips cold to the touch, slowly reaching towards her neck.
Su Wan's heart almost stopped. The shadow of death completely enveloped her. She could feel the coldness from his fingertips, as if in the next second, that hand would mercilessly snap her throat.
"Lu Shiyan!" She let out a desperate cry, using her last ounce of strength, "You can't kill me! If you kill me, you'll never see your child again!"
Lu Shiyan's hand stopped a few centimeters from her neck.
His gaze fluctuated violently, as if he was in a fierce internal struggle.
He stared intently at Su Wan, trying to find a flaw, a hint of guilt on her face.
Su Wan met his gaze, and although her whole body was trembling, she forced herself not to look away.
"And I've awakened an ability," her voice trembled, but every word was clearly articulated. "It's chaotic outside now, full of biting monsters, really..."
"I have Space Ability. I can be your walking warehouse in the future..." This was her last bargaining chip for survival.
Lu Shiyan looked at her, the killing intent in his eyes not receding, but rather mixed with a hint of scrutiny.
He leaned in slightly, closer to her, bringing with him an invisible sense of oppression.
"What a coincidence," he tugged at the corner of his mouth, without a trace of a smile. "I also awakened an ability today, lightning."
He spread his palm, and several tiny electric arcs danced at his fingertips, making soft crackling sounds.
He really... awakened.
"What about yours?" Lu Shiyan withdrew his hand, and the electric arcs disappeared. "Space Ability?"
He repeated it, his tone clearly full of doubt.
"Show me."
Su Wan quickly made a bottle of water appear out of thin air. "My space is very big!" Her voice trembled, but she tried to make every word clear. "It's really big, about... about a hundred cubic meters!"
He raised his hand and pinched the bottle of water. A cold sensation came from the bottle.
It was real.
"Space Ability," he repeated softly, his eyes still full of doubt, "Do you really think this is enough for me to spare your life?"
Su Wan swallowed, "If you kill me now, you'll regret it."
"Regret?" Lu Shiyan sneered, "You're quite confident."
"I... I'm really pregnant!" Su Wan bit her lip, her hands unconsciously covering her abdomen. "And Space Ability is really important in the apocalypse! I can help you store food, weapons, medicine..."
Lu Shiyan's gaze fell on her hands protecting her abdomen, and his expression faltered slightly. He was silent for a moment, then suddenly reached out and cupped her chin, forcing her to look up and meet his gaze.
"Listen carefully, Su Wan," his voice was low and dangerous, "I won't believe another word you say. However, if you are truly pregnant, I will give you a chance to live—until the child is born."
Su Wan's heart pounded like thunder, and she could only nod stiffly.
"As for your Space Ability..." Lu Shiyan slowly released her chin, a cold sneer playing on his lips. "From now on, it belongs to me."
Lu Shiyan straightened up, looking down at her from above. "The roles of prisoner and guard have been swapped. From tonight, everything about you is under my control."
His gaze slowly swept across the room, finally returning to Su Wan's face: "I will monitor your every move. Your ability, your so-called 'child'—they are all mine now."
Then, he turned around, not looking at her again, and walked straight out of the room.
Outside the open door, the faint light from the corridor outlined his tall but cold and rigid back, exuding a chilling aura that pushed people away.
It wasn't until that figure disappeared around the corner that Su Wan's tensed body completely lost its support, and she slid down the wall to sit on the cold floor.
The sportswear on her back was completely soaked with cold sweat, clinging tightly to her skin, wet and cold.
She gasped, breathing laboriously, her chest aching from the suffocation and fear she had just experienced.
She survived.
But no sooner had the thought emerged than it was drowned out by a deeper fear.
He let her go only because of that fabricated child.
A sharp cry suddenly came from outside the window, interrupting Su Wan's thoughts.
The sound seemed to be—Lin Butler?
Su Wan struggled to get up, her legs wobbly, and stumbled to the window, pulling open a slit in the curtains.
Outside, it was pitch black, with only a faint glow from the emergency lights in front of the villa.
In the center of the courtyard, the straight-backed, always stern-faced Lin Butler was being dragged by Lu Shiyan, held by the back of his collar like a chicken.
"How did you... get out of the basement!" Lin Butler's legs struggled and kicked, almost out of breath. "Let go of me! Miss knows you—"
"Miss?" Lu Shiyan's voice was bone-chillingly cold. "She no longer has the right to give orders."
Su Wan held her breath, gripping the curtain tightly.
Lin Butler's face contorted, and he suddenly pulled a small knife from his waist, turning to stab Lu Shiyan.
The voices stopped abruptly as she approached, and several maids lowered their heads, pretending nothing had happened. Only Zhang Ma gave her a complex look, with fear and a hint of sympathy.
Su Wan quickened her steps back to her room, locked the door, and finally relaxed her tense nerves. She spread her hands, her palms covered in sweat.
Two months. How was she going to make Lu Shiyan believe she was pregnant?
Su Wan's heart almost stopped.
The tip of the knife was blocked by an invisible force one centimeter before it touched Lu Shiyan.
The next second, Lin Butler's whole body trembled violently, and countless tiny electric currents jumped on him, making crackling sounds.