Yun Lan sat in the corner of the spital bedroom, knees pulled to her chest, heart racing. The moonlight filtered through the tall windows, casting silver shadows across the expensive marble floors. The fever had faded, but her mind was anything but calm. She couldn't stop thinking.
Should I stay or should I go?
The question haunted her, looping in her head like a cursed melody. Staying meant surrendering to the devil she had been forced to marry. But leaving... was that even possible? She had already tried once. Failed. Got caught. But she had seen the weakness in the system now.
Leon may have locked her away, but he was not invincible.
She stood up slowly, testing the strength in her legs. She was sore, but her muscles obeyed her command. She could walk. She could run.
But how?
The mansion's hallways were filled with his men. Guards at every corner, cameras in the halls, eyes everywhere. But the hospital was different. More public. Less secure. He had brought her here for recovery, under the assumption that she'd never dare to escape again.
He underestimated her.
Her opportunity came sooner than expected.
The next morning, a young nurse came in holding a tray with medicine and a steaming cup of herbal tea.
"Miss Yun, it's time for your medication," the nurse said kindly, walking closer.
Yun Lan smiled weakly and nodded. "Thank you," she said, watching her every move.
As the nurse placed the tray on the table beside the bed, Yun Lan moved.
Fast.
She grabbed the porcelain cup and, with one swift swing, hit the nurse on the back of the head. The woman gasped and fell with a soft thud, knocked unconscious before she could even react.
"I'm sorry," Yun Lan whispered, already dragging her behind the divider.
Quickly, she undressed the nurse, throwing on the pale blue uniform. She tied her long hair into a messy bun and pulled the surgical mask over her face. From the medicine tray, she grabbed a pair of gloves and tucked them on.
When she checked the mirror, she barely recognized herself.
Perfect.
She dragged the unconscious woman into bed, pulling the sheets up and arranging the pillow under her head. Anyone glancing inside would assume she was still resting.
Taking a deep breath, Yun Lan opened the door and stepped into the hallway.
No one stopped her.
Two guards stood outside her door. They nodded absently when she passed, never once lifting their eyes to examine her face. Her heart pounded in her chest, but she kept walking.
Step by step, she reached the lobby.
She was just about to exit the main door when a familiar, deep voice sliced through the air.
"You look familiar," Leon said, stepping into her path.
Her heart froze.
He had returned. Why now?
"I'm new here," she replied in a low voice, trying to keep it steady.
He narrowed his eyes. "New? I don't recall hiring anyone new."
"I was transferred this morning. Temporary shift," she lied.
Leon stared at her a moment longer, then nodded slowly. "Fine. Go."
She nodded politely and hurried out before he could change his mind. Only when the hospital gate shut behind her did she allow herself to breathe again.
Minutes later, she spotted a taxi pulling up along the street. Yun Lan raised her hand. The driver rolled down his window.
"Where to, miss?"
"North district. Near Maple Creek Garden."
"That's far," the man said. "But sure."
She climbed in and sank into the seat, her pulse racing, heart thudding against her ribs.
She had escaped.
Leon returned to her hospital room later that evening. The moment he walked in, something felt off.
Too quiet.
He walked toward the bed and frowned. Something about the body beneath the blanket felt... wrong.
He pulled the sheet down.
A woman. Not Yun Lan.
"Damn," he growled, his voice low and dangerous. "This girl will be punished."
Storming out, he shouted for his men.
"Find her," he barked. "I don't care if you have to search every street, every alley, every rooftop in this city. She couldn't have gone far."
His men scattered, already on their phones.
But inside, Leon was furious. Not just because she had run again—but because he had believed she was starting to trust him. He clenched his jaw as he walked back to his car, fingers tightening around the steering wheel.
She thinks I'm weak? That she can keep running?
Fine. Let her. But once I catch her again... she won't be leaving.
Meanwhile, Yun Lan arrived at a small countryside house surrounded by a sea of colorful flowers. Roses, lavender, jasmine, and peonies bloomed wildly under the sun. A little wooden fence circled the yard. It looked like something out of a dream.
Her grandparents' home.
She stepped out of the taxi and walked toward the front porch.
"Yun Lan?" her grandmother cried out, opening the door. "Is it really you?"
"Grandma!" Yun Lan smiled, running into her arms.
Her grandfather came out moments later, his face lighting up like the sun. "Our precious girl! What a surprise! Come in, come in!"
She was wrapped in hugs and ushered into the house, offered warm tea and sweet rice cakes.
They asked no questions. Yun Lan didn't tell them the truth. She didn't want them worried. She just said she needed to get away from the city for a while.
That night, she lay in the little guestroom under the stars, listening to the crickets chirping and the soft rustle of flowers outside.
For the first time in weeks, she felt peace.
Back in the city, the mood was anything but peaceful.
Leon had scoured half the city. Cameras, phone trackers, license plate recognition—nothing worked. It was as if she had vanished into thin air.
He poured himself a glass of whiskey and stared out his penthouse window.
"When I find you, Yun Lan," he muttered, voice thick with a mixture of anger and something darker, "you'll be tied to your bed. No more escape. No more tricks."
He downed the drink.
He missed her more than he wanted to admit.
The stars above the countryside twinkled softly as Yun Lan sat on the porch swing, wrapped in a light blanket. She watched her grandparents laugh inside, the warm glow of their love filling the house.
She was safe. For now.
But in her heart, she knew it was only a matter of time.
Leon would come.
The devil she had married never gave up.
And when he found her... she shivered.
Would she be ready for the punishment he promised?