She watched him warily. When he began unbuttoning his shirt, she quickly crossed her arms defensively. "What are you doing?"

He glanced at her coolly. "Do you expect me to go out like this?"

Tao Yu blinked, finally noticing his rumpled suit jacket and the disheveled state of his shirt beneath. If he went out like that, it would certainly raise eyebrows.

Blushing, she coughed. "Then…change."

As soon as she spoke, he turned and walked towards the dressing room. Tao Yu, catching her breath, couldn't resist a curious glance at him as he undressed.

Clad only in his trousers, his bare torso revealed a perfectly proportioned physique and strong back muscles, radiating masculine power.

…Wealthy, powerful, and on top of that, a handsome face and a perfect body. Life really wasn't fair.

"What are you looking at?"

"You," she answered without thinking, then snapped back to reality as he emerged from the dressing room, fully dressed. "Just…passing the time…" she stammered.

He smirked. "Keep it up. You'll regain your freedom soon enough."

She stared, about to question him, but he had already retrieved his cane and was leaving.

"Wait!" She hurried after him. Just as she reached the doorway, a sharp tug on her wrist nearly sent her sprawling.

She stared at her wrist, now marked with a red line, the chain taut. She was speechless.

He'd clearly measured it precisely. It reached exactly to the doorway.

Tao Yu stood there for a long time, only snapping out of her daze when the maid arrived with breakfast. She went to the bathroom to freshen up. Seeing the breakfast spread, three times larger than usual, her mood lifted slightly. After devouring everything, she sprawled on the sofa.

Since Yue Linze was keeping her captive, she might as well embrace inactivity. The chain wouldn't reach the rehabilitation room anyway.

Being treated like a pet was infuriating, especially with nothing to do but stew in her anger.

But anger was useless. She needed to calm down and figure out what had gone wrong.

He'd told her to think about it, that he'd unchain her when she figured it out. So, the problem lay with her.

After the maid cleared the table and left, she was alone in the vast bedroom. Sighing, she rose from the sofa. Unable to think clearly, she decided to lie down on the bed.

Five minutes after Tao Yu finished breakfast, the housekeeper received a message from one of the house staff.

He immediately went to the CEO's office and knocked.

"Enter," came Yue Linze's indifferent voice.

The housekeeper entered. Yue Linze had already put down his documents, as if waiting for a report.

"Sir, we've received a message from the house. Miss Tao has a good appetite. She ate a breakfast meant for four. It seems her mood is unaffected," the housekeeper reported gently.

Yue Linze nodded, acknowledging the information, and returned to his work.

The housekeeper hesitated, remaining in place.

"Is there something else?" Yue Linze glanced at him.

The housekeeper looked at him with concern. "I know I shouldn't interfere with your decisions, sir, but I don't understand. If you want a good relationship with Miss Tao, why confine her to her room?"

Yue Linze's fingers paused. Just as the housekeeper thought he wouldn't answer, he said coldly, "Because she's dishonest."

"Dishonest?" The housekeeper was surprised. "Miss Tao seems quite forthright. How could she be dishonest? Unless…is there a problem with her identity that you've only just discovered?"

"It's not about her identity. It's between us." Yue Linze's face tightened with irritation, clearly unwilling to elaborate.

Relieved it wasn't an identity issue, the housekeeper was even more puzzled. He thought for a moment, then said cautiously, "I know this is presumptuous, sir, but I must remind you that restricting Miss Tao's freedom is unlikely to solve anything."

This was the first time his employer had been in a relationship, and such drastic actions worried him. He felt compelled to speak up.

"You may leave." It was unclear whether Yue Linze had taken his words to heart. He returned to his documents, signing them with a flourish.

"Yes, sir," the housekeeper said, his face etched with worry as he left.

Alone again, Yue Linze stared at the signature he had just penned on the document , Tao Yu, his expression unreadable.

Some lies, when unexamined, could almost pass for truth. But under scrutiny, they crumbled, revealing their flaws.

But he didn't care. He would wait patiently. He would wait until the liar turned the lie into truth. Only then would he grant her the freedom she desired.

Until then, all he wanted was to keep her close.

He picked up the phone and dialed an internal line. When the other end answered, he said coldly, "Send in another copy of the contract."