After that night, a subtle but distinct shift occurred in the penthouse. Lanh Thien Phong remained cold, domineering even, but the silences between them were no longer empty. Instead, they were filled with an unnamed, heavy emotion. He no longer forcefully took her, but his gaze followed her constantly, like an eagle monitoring its prey, or perhaps, something softer that he desperately tried to conceal.
Ha An Nhien also felt lost. She still hated him for her captivity and the humiliation he had inflicted. But those moments when he revealed his vulnerability, his profound loneliness, or those surprisingly contradictory gestures like resting his head on her shoulder, inexplicably stirred her heart. She began to see not just the "Devil King" but a wounded man, hiding his own scars.
One afternoon, as Ha An Nhien was reading in the library, Lanh Thien Phong entered. He held a thick envelope. "These are the documents to send your brother abroad for medical treatment," he said, his voice still even, but Ha An Nhien sensed something different. "All expenses, medication, the best doctors... I've arranged everything."
Ha An Nhien shot to her feet, her eyes wide with astonishment. This was what she had wished for most: freedom and a future for An Khang. She rushed over, clutching the envelope, tears welling up.
"Thank you... thank you," she repeated, her voice choked. This was the first time she felt genuine gratitude towards him.
Lanh Thien Phong looked at her, his gaze complex. He raised a hand, gently wiping a tear from her cheek. "Don't cry," he whispered, his voice softening in a way she had never heard. "I told you, I protect what's mine."
He pulled her into an embrace, a gentler hug, devoid of his usual rough restraint. He lightly stroked her hair, as if to reassure her. Ha An Nhien didn't resist. She leaned into his solid chest, listening to the strong beat of his heart. In that moment, all hatred, all pain seemed to dissipate, leaving behind a strange warmth and peace. She realized she no longer recoiled from his touch.
When he released her, Ha An Nhien's eyes met his. A faint electric current passed between them, an undeniable connection.
"But..." Ha An Nhien suddenly remembered. "You've set An Khang free. What about me?"
Lanh Thien Phong's eyes returned to their usual coldness, yet a profound, indefinable something lurked within them. "Your brother is free. You... are different."
"Different how?" she asked, a vague fear stirring within her.
"You belong to me," he said, his voice resolute, allowing no argument. "Until I'm tired of you."
Those words hit Ha An Nhien like a bucket of cold water, dragging her back to harsh reality. All the previous soft emotions vanished, replaced only by indignation and the pain of being used. He merely wanted to keep her because he desired to, because he had the power to, not because of any genuine feeling.
Just then, Housekeeper Lee rushed in, breathless. "Young Master! There's big news!"
Lanh Thien Phong and Ha An Nhien both turned.
"The Young Madame... she's returned!" Housekeeper Lee panted, her eyes wide with fear and astonishment.
Lanh Thien Phong's entire body stiffened. His face drained of color, shifting from cold to shock, then to utter fury. "She... who?"
"Madame Lanh... Madame Lam Uyen Nhu! The one everyone thought died in the fire all those years ago!" Housekeeper Lee stammered, trembling. "She's standing right outside the villa door!"
Ha An Nhien stood frozen. Madame Lanh? Lanh Thien Phong's supposedly deceased mother? She was alive? If so, everything Lanh Thien Phong had done for revenge, every tragedy that had occurred... was it all a misunderstanding?
Lanh Thien Phong stormed out of the room, leaving Ha An Nhien alone in a whirlwind of emotions and unanswered questions. Her relationship with him, which had just begun to warm slightly, now stood on the brink of an earthquake. The reappearance of the woman presumed dead shattered all boundaries, ripped away the veil of mystery, and sent Ha An Nhien's fate down an utterly unexpected path.