Yun Lan didn't sleep that night.
After the stranger vanished into the storm, her apartment felt colder. Emptier. But it wasn't just the rain tapping on her window that kept her awake—it was him.
The kiss still lingered on her lips like fire.
The way he said her name.
The way he smiled after she slapped him.
Who the hell was he?
She paced the floor, arms crossed tightly over her chest. Her heart still thudded, not from fear—but from something far more dangerous.
Curiosity.
And confusion.
And heat.
It made no sense. She should have called the police. She should've locked her door and forgotten he ever existed. Instead, she kept looking at the spot where he sat, the blood-stained towel still on the couch, her first-aid kit open beside it.
"You saved me. You're mine now."
His voice echoed like thunder in her mind.
Yun Lan groaned and dropped onto her bed, pulling the covers over her head.
"I'm losing it," she muttered. "Totally losing it."
The Next Morning
By morning, the sky had cleared. The sun peeked through the clouds, trying to erase the memory of the storm.
Yun Lan forced herself to get dressed for work. She scrubbed the floor, cleaned the towels, and even burned two of her strongest candles to get rid of the iron scent of blood.
But the scent still lingered.
And so did he.
At the Flower Shop
The day passed slowly at Jasmine Dreams, the flower shop where Yun Lan worked. Her boss, Auntie Shu, noticed her odd behavior.
"You look pale, Lan," the older woman said, arranging lilies in a vase. "Bad dreams again?"
Yun Lan nodded weakly. "Yeah. Something like that."
She didn't dare tell her about the man she brought home. No one would believe it. Not without thinking she was crazy—or worse, reckless.
But just as she was trimming rose stems, a black SUV parked across the street. Tinted windows. Sleek. Silent.
Her fingers froze mid-cut.
The window lowered halfway.
And she saw him.
Those dark eyes. That sharp jaw. That same unreadable gaze.
Leon.
She blinked—and the SUV sped off.
"Was someone watching you?" Auntie Shu asked, peering out the window.
Yun Lan shook her head, heart racing. "No. Just… a customer, I think."
Later That Night
She returned home cautiously, checking over her shoulder twice. Locked the door. Bolted the windows.
She took a hot shower, trying to scrub the memory of his kiss from her lips. But it was like trying to erase fire with water. Useless.
Wrapping a towel around herself, she stepped into her bedroom.
And screamed.
He was there.
Sitting on her bed like he belonged.
Calm. Collected. Watching her with amusement in his dark eyes.
Leon.
"How did you get in?!" she demanded, grabbing the lamp beside her.
He smirked. "You didn't change the locks. Sloppy."
"You broke in?!"
"Technically, no. I never gave up the right to come in."
"That's not how homes work, you psycho!"
Leon stood, slow and tall, like a predator rising to its full height. "Is that what you think I am? A psycho?"
"You kissed me without asking. You broke into my home. You watched me at work. What else would I think?!"
He stepped closer.
She stepped back.
Until her towel caught the edge of her dresser—and slipped slightly down her shoulder.
His eyes flickered.
She grabbed it quickly, yanking it back up.
"Out," she whispered, throat dry. "Get out."
Leon didn't move. "You saved my life. Now I'll protect yours."
"I didn't ask for your protection!"
"You didn't ask for my kiss, either," he murmured. "But I gave it to you. And I'll give you a thousand more until your lips forget every man that ever touched them."
She gasped. "You're insane."
"No," he said, stepping even closer, until the heat of him was too close to ignore. "I'm obsessed."
His fingers brushed her cheek again. The same way they had last night.
She slapped his hand away. "Don't touch me."
But her voice wasn't as strong this time.
Leon tilted his head. "You're trembling."
"I'm not afraid of you."
"Liar."
"I'm not!" she snapped.
He smiled.
She hated that smile.
"I want nothing to do with you."
"Then why didn't you let me die?"
She stilled.
His voice lowered to a whisper. "You knew I was dangerous. Yet you helped me. You stitched me up. You let me in."
"Because… you were hurt."
He leaned down, lips brushing her ear. "No. You saw something in me. Something that made your heart beat faster. You felt it, too."
She jerked away. "You're wrong."
He laughed, deep and rich. "Then let me be wrong for the rest of my life, as long as you're beside me."
"Leave."
"I can't."
"Why?!"
"Because I've already signed the papers."
She blinked. "What… papers?"
He pulled out a velvet folder from his coat and tossed it onto her bed.
Yun Lan opened it with trembling fingers.
Her name was there. So was his.
A marriage certificate.
Signed.
Dated.
Registered.
Her vision blurred. "This… this is a joke."
Leon's expression darkened. "It's not. We were married this morning. I had someone forge your signature."
"You forged my—?!" Her voice broke into a shriek. "You can't do that!"
"I already did."
"This isn't legal! I didn't agree to anything!"
Leon stepped forward and cupped her face, gently. "You saved me, Yun Lan. I don't let go of what's mine."
Tears burned her eyes. "I'm not yours."
He kissed her forehead. "You will be."
She slapped him again, harder this time. "I hate you!"
He closed his eyes as if savoring the pain.
Then whispered, "Good. That means you feel something."
And with that, he turned and walked out.
But before he shut the door, he said, "Pack your things. I'll come for you tomorrow morning. As my wife."
The door clicked shut.
Yun Lan dropped to the floor, heart pounding.
She wasn't dreaming.
She was married to the devil.
And he was coming back.