In the darkness, the figure beside her stirred, then embraced her. Tao Yu didn't resist as she had before, but yielded to his embrace.

"Are we not fighting anymore?" Yue Linze asked.

His voice was ordinary, carrying his usual indifference, yet Tao Yu detected a note of caution.

A pang of sadness unexpectedly struck her. Her voice softened. "We're not fighting. Go to sleep." This man was mentally flawed and didn't even realize his mistakes. There was no point in arguing with him.

"Thank you." Yue Linze said sincerely, his heart, troubled for days, finally at peace.

Tao Yu felt even worse at his gratitude and didn't reply.

She slept soundly until morning. When Tao Yu awoke, Yue Linze had already left for work. She immediately retrieved the key the housekeeper had given her, unlocked the chain on her wrist, changed clothes, and left the room.

The servants were surprised to see her emerge. She said calmly, "Linze unlocked it for me yesterday and said I could move freely around the Yue estate. Prepare a car for me; I'm going to the company to see him."

The servant looked at her hesitantly, sensing something was amiss, but under Tao Yu's gaze, he didn't dare delay and hurried to prepare a car.

Tao Yu immediately drove off, speeding in the opposite direction of Yue Linze's company.

The servant, who was watching her, realized something was wrong and immediately called Yue Linze.

After driving for a few kilometers, Tao Yu opened the car window. Seeing the beautiful scenery outside, she, after months of confinement, couldn't resist stopping the car and running to the roadside to breathe in the fresh air. After savoring her freedom, she returned to the car.

To ensure she left this world quickly, she needed to get as far away from Yue Linze as possible. So she continued driving, hoping to find a deserted place where she could perform self-hypnosis.

As she planned her escape, she noticed several cars behind her gaining speed. Recognizing the Maybach in the middle, her heart sank. She knew Yue Linze was pursuing her.

She cursed inwardly, regretting the brief moment she had lingered, which allowed him to catch up. Tao Yu slammed on the accelerator and swerved onto a narrow side road. She had to leave this time; otherwise, she might never get another chance.

The road was extremely narrow, only wide enough for one car. Seeing her turn onto the small road, Yue Linze immediately signaled the other cars to stop and pursued her alone.

Tao Yu nervously watched the Maybach in her rearview mirror, its relentless pursuit increasing her anxiety.

Flowers, grass, and trees lined both sides of the road, but Tao Yu had no time to admire them. The usually quiet road was now filled with dust kicked up by the two speeding luxury cars.

Tao Yu glanced at the fuel gauge and noticed she was running low. Just as despair began to set in, she saw the side road rejoined the main highway, and across the highway was a bustling market.

Her eyes lit up. If she could cross the highway and hide in the market for ten minutes, she could leave this world.

She took a deep breath, carefully and quickly navigating the traffic, heading towards the market.

Yue Linze's eyes darkened. He knew if she managed to hide, he might not be able to find her quickly alone, and she might escape during that time.

He floored the accelerator, ignoring the other vehicles, and sped towards Tao Yu.

The moment Tao Yu crossed the highway, before she could even breathe a sigh of relief, she instinctively glanced back and saw a speeding truck barreling towards them. Yue Linze seemed oblivious, still racing towards her. Her mind went blank. Without thinking, she swerved and rammed into Yue Linze's car.

A screech of tires followed. In a split second, the front of the Maybach was knocked off course, and the truck slammed into Tao Yu's car, sending it flying.

As she crashed, Tao Yu's first thought, amidst the searing pain, was, So, I'm going back by self-destructing after all. Her second thought was, What a waste of a Maybach. So expensive…

She closed her eyes, expecting to wake up soon. However, although conscious, she couldn't control her body. Whenever she regained a sliver of control, the intense pain would knock her unconscious again.

In brief moments of lucidity, Tao Yu realized something was wrong, but before she could figure out what it was, she would lose consciousness again.

After a long period of this hazy existence, she finally managed to open her eyes. She was met with a stark white ceiling, and Yue Linze was staring at her, his eyes shimmering with a faint light. His cheeks were hollow, his entire frame gaunt. Despite his pitiful appearance, he radiated an unnatural excitement.

Tao Yu's first reaction was, What happened to him? Then she realized she was lying in a hospital bed, and understanding slowly dawned on her.

"You're awake," Yue Linze said, a smile spreading across his face. To Tao Yu, it looked worse than tears. She twitched her lips, and Yue Linze grasped her hand, pressing his forehead against her palm. "You have a cruel heart," he said quietly.

Tao Yu felt warm liquid dripping onto her hand. She froze, recalling the previous events, her emotions swirling in a complex mix.

Yue Linze lifted his head slightly, looking at her as if nothing had happened, his gaze filled with devotion. "I won't try to tame you anymore because I've accepted that I'm the one who's been tamed."

"...."

"I love you, Tao Yu. I'm yours."

Tao Yu stared at him, then after a long moment, inwardly wailed, Why didn't I die? Why am I still here?!