3 In Deep Waters

Qiao Ruo disrobed slowly and stepped into the shower, trembling slightly from her ordeal earlier. The sensation of Cree's forceful kisses and how he had restrained her against her will tormented her. If this was what her boss wanted her to do, she found it disconcerting that the heir probably perceived her as a plaything and a commodity. Since she arrived at City A for her studies, she had lived a lonely and desolate life, devoid of friendship and relationships. It hurt how nobody remembered or cared about her, up from her university days to her working life. Even her neighbours ignored her and looked down on her. If only she was rich, like Cree....

A part of her hated how mean and rude he was to her and how he seemed to think he could do whatever he liked just because he was rich... if only she didn't need him for the article, she would have loved to put him in his place. But she was a nobody in a strange city, and her feelings didn't matter. Once she got to interview him for her article, she was done with him. She couldn't stand one more minute of cheapening herself and pretending to be someone else just because of him. She had persevered for the sake of making a living. Jobs were hard to come by, especially in a period of inflation.

At times, she would just wish she could wake up the next day as someone rich, out of nowhere. It wasn't logical, but it happened in dramas a lot. 

She scrubbed herself more vigorously, almost rubbing her skin raw with the hard sponge that she had brought with her. She found it handy that she had taken all these little toiletries with her. She didn't like using the ones that had been provided by the gym. She was about to buy herself a bit more time by lengthening her shower time, but then the thought that Cree might be guarding outside while waiting for her, struck her hard.

Why hadn't she thought of that possibility? He had sounded mad when he voiced out that he didn't like jokes. What if she kept him waiting too long, and he left in anger?

She hastened her shower and cleaned herself up thoroughly, and put on a clean dress that she had brought. The silk imitation material could pass as an expensive dress, and it flaunted her curves well, bringing out the best in her. Maybe Cree would like it. She strode confidently and faced herself in the mirror briefly, faking a smile so innocent that would likely invoke Cree's insatiable desire.

Would Cree be interested in her, even if he had kissed her out of possession?

She had to be playing with fire, if he desired her. It was an extremely risky game to be toying with his feelings. Was it worth the danger, to proceed with her task?

She bit hard on her lower lip, and opened the door. As expected, Cree was leaning against the wall just outside the ladies' shower room with a cold expression on his face that was unreadable from his sheltered eyes under his shades. Noticing her exit, he crudely said, "That sure took long enough. Let's go then, as you promised."

He tugged on her hand, and she hesitatingly followed him. 

Stage two, pretend to twist your ankle so you have an excuse to be with him longer.

They had just exited the gym, when she pretended to stumble and groaned in pain, squatting on the floor with her hands pressed on her ankle. "My ankle..... I can't walk..."

He helped her up, but a few seconds later, she flopped on the ground once more, crying even more loudly. "It hurts so much, Cree!"

"Fine." He grabbed her bags and dumped them into the back bonnet of his sports car, and then scooped her up into his arms.

"Cree..." she called out in surprise. Ever since she had blossomed into a young woman, she had never been carried before! To be carried in his arms in this manner was a truly foreign and ethereal experience for her, as if she was flying in the sky. She also felt intimate and protected, and by Cree of all people! If anything, she would think that Cree would be the last to be gentleman-like and caring, which she gathered from how careful he had been when carrying her!

He then deposited her gently in the back passenger seat of the vehicle, in a lying position. "Lying down should work for you, then."

She was taken aback by this gesture of his, but she continued to keep up her act, moaning softly in pain, and continued to press down on her 'injured' ankle with both hands.

"Don't think of it too much. I just don't want you getting me in trouble by saying I treated you badly when you hurt your ankle."

She remained silent, digesting the actuality of how unpredictable the man was. He had said himself that he had not wanted trouble, but yet, he had allowed her to penetrate his life and had even carried her! This didn't tally with how Cree was mentioned to be extremely low-profiled, and expose himself to the speculation of others, when he had been talking to her in the gym! Even if it was a VIP gym, tails would wag about how he was seen with a beauty! She shook her head in confusion. 

"Cree," she stammered, "Are we still going for a drink?"

"Obviously you can't, with your injury," he stated squarely, and she realized she had just put her foot in her mouth.

"I know," she lied. "I mean, where are we going? Are you going to take me to the doctor?" She had said everything so smoothly and naturally, that she had let down her guard that she had sprained her ankle, as she had forgotten she was still acting!

"It can't be that serious, when you obviously look fine. You don't have any signs of pain, do you?" he scoffed at her. It had been so blatant, and yet it had not occurred to her that she did not seem to be in pain any more!

She just smiled sheepishly. He was just too smart. "I suppose it's just a muscle spasm, then," he deduced radiantly, his eyes twinkling menacingly, which she failed to see from his shades. Where were they going?

Finding the lack of a need to answer her, he promptly started up the car, and drove for almost twenty long minutes without a word, halting at a secluded area away from the busy city. With the dark tint of his car windows and the desolateness of the site, nobody would be able to hinder him from interrogating her like a criminal. He let out a stiff and icy laugh as he put his car to park mode! 

Cree just needed to know if Qiao Ruo had a hidden agenda, and why she had appeared in his life with a different identity and the reason she was faking her personality! And until he found out, she was in deep waters...

.................

Twenty minutes ago

Cree had recognized Qiao Ruo immediately from the encounter at the bar, and he remembered clearly that her name was Ruolan. At the bar, she was chatty and intriguing, and not the pretentiously innocent 'socialite' Lan Ruo! Did she seriously think she could lie to him by faking her innocence, or did she just want to catch his attention?

It had been six years that he was in the harsh and realistic society, and he had taken up two identities, that of Cree Ye and Ye Qi. Still, he had never encountered a woman who would excite him deep in his heart like he did, and surprisingly, she had not been after fame or wealth. She hadn't even asked him about his family background, what he worked as, and they had conversed on random topics ranging from the ambience in the bar and the drinks to the weather. She had not touched on their individual lifestyles, nor was she interested in his annual income. Perhaps that was how one-night stands came about?

But today, she had appeared to be so different. She had dressed fascinatingly in a short summer dress with floral prints, and it ended just above her knees. She was breathtakingly beautiful, and the wolf in him wanted to again, see her bare under the sheets. But he was no monster, and he reminded himself that he could have all the women he wanted, just because he was Cree Ye. But there was this problem of this little thief of his heart that had got away. He didn't fathom what about her it was that he liked about her, but she had already claimed a place in his heart, and he wanted to have her by his side.

Nevertheless, he hated how she was acting like a total stranger, and yearned to see the Ruolan of the bar that he had claimed for that fateful night. But being the mystic everyone saw as cold and cruel, how could he even tell her his feelings? He would force kisses on her, dominate her with that strange power he owned that he couldn't even fathom, and discover a way to keep her by his side. Didn't she appear to have a hidden agenda? Perhaps there was something she wanted from him, and he wouldn't hesitate to retain her in his den until she got what she needed! And after that happened, and she obtained what she wanted, provided it didn't affect him or cause some damage to his lifestyle, career or reputation, he would find a solution to ensure she wouldn't get away this time!

Speaking of his strange power, it was not something he could speak to anyone of. Perhaps he was cursed with it, because he had the ability to intimidate people randomly when he was really enraged or super annoyed. He had been aware of this ability since he was a teenager. She had been frustratingly persistent in her acting game, and had triggered his power to surface. But what was the best punishment for her than to play along with her for now, and allow her to get her just deserts? She had been testing his patience, and he couldn't wait for this anticipated moment, when he bundled her into his sports car and drove away.

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"Where are we?" Qiao Ruo struggled to get up as he opened the back passenger door and took his seat on the other end of the spacey passenger seat where she was lying.

"Well, you can see for yourself," he said coldly. She craned her neck to get a good view of the environment outside, and all she saw was the rocky ground. It seemed to be an abandoned construction site of some kind. He pushed her back down before she could even move, and locked her with both arms pressing down on her shoulders painfully. Now, that really hurt compared to the fake 'injuries' earlier!

Now it was his turn to ask questions. "Who sent you?" he demanded in a serious tone, causing her to shudder at his sudden, no-nonsense tone.

"I don't know what you mean, Cree," she said fearfully. She felt his anger, and the intensity of the power he was unleashing. Not very good vibes, she realized. She had to be very careful with what she said. In fact, he was so tenacious that she felt powerless against him! She perceived him with the likeness of a monster when he was angry. And this time, he wasn't just angry, he was furious!

He was aware that he was tapping on his ability to intimidate her, and took a deep breath to calm himself down. "Are you scared of me?" he asked her. She nodded repeatedly, trembling.

"Then you better tell the truth, or I won't be gentle with you," he taunted her.

She shook her head. "I'm not sent by anyone. I just wanted to get close to you."

"What do you want, money or fame? I can give it to you, if you give me the answer I want. Otherwise..." his eyes glinted at hers wickedly, and despite not seeing the devilish look in his eyes, she shuddered from the scariness of his vibes.

"I can't say...it's my job" was all she could get out of her mouth, and he tightened the pressure he was exerting on her shoulders. What had she just got herself into?

Finally, he removed his arms from her shoulders, and she lay down obediently, not daring to move even an inch. Ensuring that the site was free from any passing vehicles, he removed his shades. "Do you remember me now?"

She was scared stiff upon recognizing the face staring back at her. Cree Ye was no other than Ye Qi, the man at the bar?

"Are you going to admit who sent you?" The look he flashed at her was like that of a bandit telling his prey, 'your money or your life'. Was he going to kill her?

A solo tear rolled down her cheek. As much as she was a fighter, he seemed stronger and more vicious, and given that they were alone without anyone to save her, she could have died silently. Furthermore, it was unexplainable how he was able to have that power over her, and it happened every single time he raged!

Without a warning, he leaned over her horizontally-lying body, and ran his long slender fingers through her hair. Her heart beat even more wildly, and then he seized her chin with his right hand, while his left hand remained stroking her hair.

"I will count to five."

She didn't want to die.