Thursday, eight o'clock.

In front of the desk, Nannin's hand holding the mouse trembles slightly.

On the screen, there's today's top trending topic.

To express its heat, the headline is embellished with three bunches of tiny flame emojis.

"Mr. Bai and the goddess designer Qiao Jun, lovers finally tie the knot, extravagant engagement today."

From rare designer dresses, to engagement rings as big as pigeon eggs, to the luxurious venue.

A lengthy report, but what Nanning can only remember is the last line.

An unparalleled doting.

It's Bai Yi.

He finally waited for the one he has in his heart.

Nanning stares at the magnified engagement photo.

Qiao Jun is beautiful, proud and confident, totally deserving to be by this man's side.

Those deep dark eyes hold a dangerous restraint, yet looking at Qiao Jun, there's a touch of tenderness he has never shown before.

So, can she leave now?

At this moment, the housemaid Qian Yi, impatient, blocks the screen.

"Miss Nan, time's up. Mr. Bai will be here soon and you're only allowed half an hour of internet usage each day."

Nan Ning's eyes flickered slightly, "Auntie Qian, can I stay online for just five more minutes, I..."

With a snap, Auntie Qian disconnected the power cable.

"What a nuisance." She muttered, placing a gift box in front of Nan Ning, "Mr. Bai will arrive at nine, go have a bath, change your clothes and wait."

Nan Ning opened the gift box, and it was, yet again, a piece of risqué sleepwear meant to humiliate her.

It had been three years since she was locked up in this house, constantly humiliated.

But he was already engaged. Why was he still treating her this way?

Nan Ning pursed her lips and closed the gift box.

"I don't want to wear it."

"Oh well, it's not up to you! Mr. Bai said I have the right to teach you some manners."

With a sarcastic laugh, Auntie Qian rolled up her sleeves revealing her sturdy arms.

Nan Ning still remembered the dark bruises left on her by Auntie Qian when she arrived.

Bai Yi glanced at her, his tone mocking, "You indeed need to be disciplined."

Nan Ning shrank back, resigned, and nodded.

"I understand."

She rose to her feet with the box in hand, staring at the exquisite penthouse, with the entire capital city's night view outside the floor-to-ceiling window.

The place was out of reach for most people.

Yet, three years ago, he took her innocence and locked her here ever since, she has never been able to leave.

Aunt Qian was right, she's a canary, and this place is her cage.

Perched high on a branch, she could watch the blue sky and white clouds, see the bustling cityscape, but she could not step out.

At exactly nine o'clock.

Dressed and ready, Nan Ning stepped out of the bathroom.

Click, click, the flicker of a lighter sparkled in the dim room.

Bai Yi, who had been tenderly gazing at another woman during the day, was now sitting on the couch with a cigarette in his mouth, tilting his head back as he puffed smoke.

The light from the flames cast an intricate play of light and shadow over his deep, refined features.

His long legs crossed, smoke billowing gently from his mouth, he sips at a glass of wine with the hand that's holding a cigarette.

But his dark eyes freely roamed over Nan Ning's body.

He was indolently rakish.

"Come here."

The chilling voice was like icy spring water, sending a shiver down Nan Ning's entire body.

But she couldn't resist, she could only walk to Bai Yi with her arms wrapped around herself.

The next second, he confined her on his lap, his thin lips caressed her neck, finally biting down hard.

She closed her eyes in pain.

But he smiled: "What's there to hide? We match so well."

His laughter contained no warmth, it was purely taunting.

Nan Ning numbly shut her eyes, gathering the courage to say: "Mr. Bai, the three-year term is up, can you let me go?"

Bai Yi's hand playing with her shoulder strap didn't stop, he didn't care about what she said at all.

He took a puff of his cigarette, slowly blowing it out at her, his eyes narrowing: "Have you been watching the news? Do you think you qualify to throw a tantrum here?"

"I don't, so please let me go! I..."

"How much do you want this time?" Bai Yi interrupted, darkness filled his eyes.

"I don't want money, I just want to leave... please, you're already engaged, aren't you?"

Nan Ning lowered her pride and begged, her eyes filled with pleading.

Yet she didn't realize that her tender and delicate appearance was like addictive drug.

Bai Yi lost his patience, stubbing out his cigarette and pulling down her shoulder strap.

"I'm not spending the night, don't waste my time, your act is quite uninteresting."

"I really...ah...don't want money."

The pain made Nanning bite down on her lips, and her slender legs weakly swayed with the motions.

Today, Bai Yi was unhappy, and was extremely rude to her.

She wanted to escape, but she was firmly trapped by him.

Hmm.

A shy voice wafted out.

Bai Yi moved closer to her, sneering, "Your body is very honest."

There was a faint smell of tobacco on him, and the smell of a woman's expensive perfume.

Nan Ning knew whose it was.

She forcibly turned her face away, intending to avoid the smell of perfume.

Bai Yi's eyes deepened, and his husky voice was particularly charming: "Are you really angry? Could it be that you've fallen in love with me? If so, you are...quite despicable."

Nan Ning opened her eyes, biting down fiercely on her lips, leaving a row of bloody teeth marks.

The taste of blood surged in her mouth, but it couldn't compare to the pain in her heart.

She was really despicable.

And she was truly in love with him.

But he knew nothing.

Ten years ago she was his follower, but now, they found themselves on opposing sides.

He had also forgotten her.

Only hatred remained.

Nanning clenched her fists, enduring the pain, she muttered, "I don't love you...Ah!"

Upon hearing this, Bai Yi's face became terrifyingly gloomy, as if he was venting all of his pent-up anger on her.

Not until her nightgown was completely ripped apart did he reluctantly rise to take a shower.

Moments later, he exited the bathroom wrapped in a bath towel and casually poured himself a glass of wine.

His drenched silhouette, broad shoulders and narrow waist paired with well-toned muscles made him appear seductively restrained.

After finishing his wine, he leisurely changed his clothes.

Seemingly oblivious to the woman's discomfort on the bed.

As soon as Nanning regained a little strength, she ignored her bruises, she clutched his clothes with her blanket-covered body.

"Mr. Bai, has three years of punishment been enough?" she asked.

Bai Yi paused buttoning his shirt, he turned around and harshly grasped her chin.

His deep, bottomless eyes caused a chill to run down her spine.

"Do you think it's enough?"

"Mr. Bai, I truly did not cause your mother's death." Nanning pleaded through her pain.

Three years ago, Bai Yi's mother committed suicide by jumping off a building in the mental hospital. She happened to be at the scene.

She also held another identity.

She was the daughter of Bai Yi's father's mistress.

Everyone suspected that she intentionally stirred up Bai Yi's mother to commit suicide, so that her own mother, the mistress, could ascend to her position.

Bai Yi believed this as well.

So since the day her mother married into the Bai family, she was confined in this cage.

Bai Yi's mother was confined in the mental hospital for three years, and she was trapped here for the same time.

"Don't mention my mother."

Bai Yi coldly pulled back his clothes and turned away to leave.

After a few minutes, assistant Zhou Zhao knocked on the door and entered.

He glanced at the torn dress on the floor, and with a look of disdain, handed over a phone.

"The usual rule, half an hour of call time with the outside world. Sir is giving you an extra ten minutes today, manage it well and don't make a fuss."

This was her reward after every service to Bai Yi.

But she was truly exhausted.

To be imprisoned and toyed with by the one she deeply loved carried her from explanation to numbness, finally to despair.

She couldn't love anymore. She didn't have the strength to love.

She had yearned for more than a thousand days and nights, longing only for freedom.

Everything was shattered.

Contemplating that she had to continue living this way, from somewhere unknown came the courage to push Zhou Zhao away and rush out of the room wrapped in her quilt.

Bai Yi was putting on his coat, his movements elegant and noble.

Nan Ning grabbed a fruit knife from the dining table and held it to her throat.

As she looked at his tall, upright silhouette, she said brokenly, “What exactly am I to you? A captive? Every day, I have half an hour on the internet, under the watch of the servants, awaiting your favor on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and then half an hour of contact with the outside world after that. That’s it! I can’t take it anymore! Since you’ve decided that I'm the killer, can I die? After all, there isn't much difference between now and death.”

Bai Yi's silhouette clearly stiffened.

But in an instant, he was in front of her and he took the fruit knife from her hand.

"Do you want to die? Wait till I get bored of you."

With a clang, the fruit knife was thrust straight into the dining table.

Her courage was minced to pieces.

They all said that little Bai was ruthless and cruel, and Nan Ning experienced this deeply.

She knew the more she said, the less certain she would be where the knife lands.

Bai Yi expressionlessly adjusted his sleeves and stormed out of the room.

Zhou Zhao stepped forward, gleefully said, "Miss Nan, if you don't want to make the call, I will take the phone away."

With no other option, Nan Ning reached out her hand: "No, give it back to me."

Zhou Zhao sneered, "I thought you had more spine."

Pale-faced, Nan Ning clenched the phone tight in her hand. She must make the call.