There are still five minutes until the hero escapes from marriage.

Wen Zhao always thought her heart had grown hard enough.

As long as she didn’t see Gu Xianting as a person, but rather as a pleasing, life-sized custom doll to delight herself with, she wouldn’t feel anger, disappointment, or sadness.

Tonight, the moonlight was beautiful, the wine was excellent, and even the sea breeze had become gentle and understanding.

He was now her legal husband. Whatever happened between them was entirely justified.

She could still treat him as a toy.

After all, from the moment she was reborn, she had abandoned all so-called principles and bottom lines. As they say, moral coercion only works on those with morals. Without morals, no one could be morally coerced.

It wasn’t until the scalding tears slid from the corners of her eyes, soaking into her thick black hair at her temples, that she realized she still felt sorrow and could experience any emotion a human could.

Including anger, humiliation, and hatred.

The hot blood in her veins hadn’t been frozen by the cold seawater, and her joys and sorrows hadn’t been entirely exhausted in her past life.

Even if only a trace remained, she was still a person of flesh and blood.

The tears rolling down her cheeks weren’t for her husband, who, in his drunken stupor, called another woman’s name during their moment of passion.

These burning tears were for herself.

Gu Xianting didn’t stop; his lips still lingered on her face, his consciousness seemingly more muddled.

In stark contrast was Wen Zhao’s gaze, inching colder by the second.

She suddenly pushed him off her, shoving him harshly onto the hard, cold floor.

With the forceful push, his alcohol and desire-fueled brain and instincts finally began to cool down. When he saw her disheveled neckline and the red marks on her neck, his expression changed drastically.

“Wen Zhao! Did you intentionally get me drunk for this?” He was trembling with anger.

She sneered, slowly straightening her collar. “Gu Xianting, don’t think everyone is as despicable as you. I’m not that bored.”

A few minutes ago, before he blurted out that name, she hadn’t actually intended for anything to happen between them.

Now, looking at his extremely displeased face, she only felt amused.

“Even if I want you to fulfill your husbandly duties, it would be when you’re sober.”

She, after all, was not something to be hidden away. Sleeping with her legal husband didn’t require underhanded methods like drunken mistakes.

“And I, Wen Zhao, will never be anyone’s substitute. Next time you call me by another’s name, I’ll cut out your tongue.” Her tone was casual, almost indifferent, but her eyes were deadly serious.

“Now, apologize to me.” She gazed coldly at him.

He knelt on the floor, looking at her in disbelief. This woman took advantage of him and now demanded an apology?

Yes, he was a scumbag, a jerk, someone who betrayed their engagement. But he had been making an effort to make it up to her. He believed he had been very cooperative in giving her the perfect honeymoon she wanted.

What more did she want?

“How can you be so greedy?” The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. This woman was still as overbearing and aggressive as ever, in stark contrast to Mengyao’s gentle obedience!

What man wouldn’t prefer a sweet, soft woman who existed purely for a man’s love and was meant to be cherished and protected?

“Slap—!”

Wen Zhao didn’t hold back, landing a hard slap across his face.

Gu Xianting clutched his stinging cheek, his eyes red with fury. “Wen Zhao! Don’t go too far!”

“So what?” She slapped him again on the other side of his face. “Do you want to hit me?”

His head buzzed, his rationality replaced by anger. He stood up, reaching to grab her, but as he did, dizziness overwhelmed him, his vision darkening, and he fell to one knee, barely catching himself on the sofa.

She leaned forward slightly, grabbing his collar and pulling him closer.

From inches away, she could see her reflection in his angry eyes, smiling like a villain. “I advise you to stop.”

Her hand gently patted his face. “Every time you struggle or try to anger me, you end up more humiliated.”

She violently tore his collar.

Staring directly into his eyes, she continued, “Besides, those you care about won’t fare well either. Why provoke me?”

In her past life, she had always chased after his gaze.

This time, she would never be in such a passive position. Whenever she wanted, she could bring this man to his knees.

Unlike her composure, Gu Xianting was utterly infuriated!

Yet, her words brought his nearly lost rationality back to the surface.

He forcibly calmed his heavy breathing. Right now, he was injured, and this was Wen Zhao’s territory. There was nothing he could do. He had to stay calm and not provoke her further.

“Now, apologize!” She commanded coldly.

He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them to say, “I’m sorry.”

“Sorry for what? Tell me where you went wrong,” she pressed on, not intending to let him off easily.

He wanted to curse, to ask why her attitude had taken a complete 180!

In the past, he was always in control, with Wen Zhao revolving around him. Even when he broke promises, she would only complain briefly before he coaxed her, or sometimes, she would comfort herself.

No matter how he treated her, she always faced him with her best, her eyes full of love.

But now, even at such close range, her gaze was detached, as if looking at an object.

It wasn’t even the gaze one would give a person.

Realizing this, his back stiffened, his Adam’s apple bobbing as a sense of panic washed over him, as if something irretrievable had slipped away before he could grasp it.

“I’m sorry I mistook you for someone else,” he said, avoiding her eyes, feeling guilty.

The anger from her slap dissipated instantly, like a balloon pricked by a needle.

“I was drunk and couldn’t control my mouth. It won’t happen again. Please forgive me.” His eyes fixed on the right front corner, where her feet swung off the sofa.

“And?” Wen Zhao’s tone remained indifferent, showing neither acceptance nor rejection of his apology.

“And?” Gu Xianting looked up in confusion, meeting her cold eyes, his heart tightening as he wondered if he had made another mistake.

But he quickly dismissed the thought.

“I don’t know… Zhao Zhao, just tell me. I won’t make you angry again,” he suppressed the sudden urge to reflect. This wasn’t right. He, Gu Xianting, never reflected; he made others do that.

“Never try to hit me, understand?” She sneered, releasing his collar and standing up gracefully. “You’ve made two mistakes today, but since it’s your first offense, I’ll just punish you by not letting you sleep tonight.”

Thinking this was a good idea, she added, “To make your night more fulfilling…”

She pressed a golden button on the coffee table, summoning the butler, who soon knocked on the door.

She instructed the butler to bring in a basket of shells. Picking up a shell with her delicate hand, she said, “I had these shells collected and cleaned when the beach was developed.”

He had no idea what she was planning.

“I want a curtain made of these shells by morning.” She continued, “Simply saying sorry doesn’t erase mistakes so easily.”

“Every mistake comes with a price.” With that, she turned and walked into the bedroom without looking back.

He stood rigidly, staring at the basket of shells and the smiling butler, clearly there to ensure he followed orders.

He sat cross-legged on the floor, picking up a shell and threading it with fishing line.

As he worked, a vivid memory flashed: a girl holding up a shell by the beach, her voice ringing in his ears, “Brother Xianting, look at what Zhao Zhao found! Isn’t it beautiful? I’m going to collect lots and lots to make a wind chime for you!”

His head throbbed with the memory. Was this from their childhood?

He began threading the shells, his mind replaying the fragments of the past.

In the master bedroom, she didn’t go to sleep immediately. She contacted Xu Nian in Licheng.

Xu Nian informed her that he had withdrawn the charges against Su Mengyao, who had been released. Interestingly, Su Mengyao believed her friend Shen Han Feng had saved her.

“There’s something strange,” Xu Nian added.

“What is it?”

“Miss Su seems convinced that Gu Xianting has been kidnapped by you. I’ve heard she plans to attend the charity event at Qian Yuan Manor, where the Gu family will be present.”

“She might try to tell Gu Xianting’s parents about this. Be careful.”