The atmosphere in the car was frigid.
Chen Ziming remained silent, and Su Yue dared not speak.
She finally understood why Chen Cheng feared him.
Soon, the car arrived at its destination in this suffocating silence. He got out, still without a word, nor did he go around to open the car door for her.
However, he didn't drive away, but stood in front of the car, waiting for her to approach.
Su Yue's feelings at this moment could no longer be described by mere fear.
She felt dread.
Perhaps it was due to childhood trauma, or perhaps due to Su Minghua's threats, she easily associated the situation with the worst possible outcomes.
The reason for his anger was no longer important; what mattered was what he would do next.
Would he, the moment the door was closed, grab her by the neck like Su Minghua, or resort to physical violence like her biological father?
Human destiny often followed a tragic cycle.
The protector she had found was indeed powerful.
But she had forgotten to consider whether his strength might also harm her.
Her legs felt weak, cold sweat washed over her, and her mind was a chaotic mess. She wanted to get out of the car but found herself unable to move.
"Get out."
The car door was suddenly pulled open. The man, with one hand propping up the door and the other on her seat, leaned down, looked at her, and spoke.
His voice and gaze were exceptionally cold.
"Wh-what... do you want to do?" She was startled by him, her pupils instantly widening, and the tears she had held back all along poured out like a breaking dam.
Her hands instinctively gripped the seat, her body recoiled, and all her body language screamed resistance.
He naturally noticed.
"You're not coming with me, are you?" The anger in his heart flared up again. He moved a little closer, his voice low, and asked.
She was too terrified to speak, her eyes wide as she looked at him, shaking her head helplessly, wanting to beg him to spare her this once, even though she didn't know what she had done wrong.
But her mother hadn't done anything wrong either, yet she still couldn't escape that scumbag's beatings.
Chen Ziming's patience had run out. Without further words, he unbuckled her seatbelt and carried her out of the car.
She instinctively struggled but suddenly met his gaze.
She froze instantly, daring not to move again.
A sense of desolation and despair welled up within her. It was no use; perhaps this was her fate.
She shouldn't have struggled. On that day, she should have jumped off the bridge.
Ending it all.
They reached his house.
She closed her eyes, burying her face in his shoulder, her body stiff, waiting for the storm to come.
She felt the man place her on the entrance stool, making her sit.
Her heart was pounding so hard it felt like it would leap out of her chest. What would he do next?
Would she survive this night?
She kept her eyes tightly shut, afraid to look, as if by doing so, everything would not happen. Yet, she could still hear faint sounds telling her that Chen Ziming was right in front of her.
"Su Yue."
A deep voice sounded before her. She was startled and opened her eyes, her gaze falling upon his stern face.
He was very close, leaning down, his eyes as cold as his expression.
"Yes... Wh-what..." The tears that had just stopped flowed again. She instinctively moved back, only to find a wall behind her, with nowhere to retreat.
"What do you think I want to do?" He looked into her eyes, prompting her to answer.
She looked at him in terror. His words held a deeply sinister meaning, as if he intended to shatter the last defense in her heart while she was still alive.
You know what I want to do.
And I don't care if you know.
I want you to watch me do what I must, filled with fear.
She felt she was on the verge of a breakdown. Upon hearing his words, she slowly reached out, despairingly grabbing his arm.
Her voice trembling, she spoke:
"Officer Chen, please, for the sake of the time we spent together, don't hurt me."
After uttering these words, she felt her entire body go limp. She slid off the stool, collapsing onto the ground, but her grip on his arm did not loosen.
She tilted her head back, looking at him, and began to cry. Tears streamed down her delicate cheeks, dripping onto the floor.
Just like that time she pleaded with that man to protect her mother.
Such helplessness and timidity.