Chapter 232 Shackles and Conditions


    Kevin took his time to answer. He remained silent as he fiddled with the elegant lighter, rhythmically


    flicking the metal lid open and close. Small mes came alive only to die as soon as they had red.


    As the silence stretched on, Ryan grew more anxious. The small sips of wine that he had taken


    gradually turned into gulps until there was not a drop left in his ss.


    An enigmatic smile curled on Kevin''s lips, which only fueled Ryan''s growing unease.


    "I didn''t expect you to take your alcohol strong, Mr. Ryan. Let me refill your ss.“


    At his words, the waiter attending them poured more of the crimson liquid into Ryan''s empty ss. The


    wine flowed red and thick, following the smooth curves of the goblet.


    Anger brewed inside Ryan alongside his difort. It was obvious that Kevin was plying him with


    alcohol, but what was even more irritating was that he was too weak and powerless against the other


    man to refuse. He let his thoughts drift towards Anne.


    Today was the day she would answer him. He mulled over what her decision could be.


    As his mind swirled with alcohol and these preupations, Ryan excused himself, "Mr. Kevin, I need to


    go to the restroom."


    Inside the restroom, the light burned almost menacingly to his alcohol-addled senses. Ryan had almost


    flinched at his own reflection as he saw himself against the mirror. His face was flushed, and bloodshot


    eyes stared back at him as he gripped at the sink in an iron hold.


    He sshed cold water on his face and breathed deeply. Soon enough, he was able to regain his


    If he could just get the shares from her, there would be no need for him to y puppet to Kevin''s little


    games.


    The phone rang, but there was no answer. After a few beeps, the call dropped automatically.


    "Anne, you little..." Ryan wanted nothing more at that moment than to spew out curses and throw his


    phone until it smashed into useless pieces of metal, but he bit his tongue and stopped himself. Once


    again, he walked towards the room where Kevin was.


    Cool air blew inside the room. Kevin''s tall, business-suit d figure gave off a detached and forbidding


    aura.


    Anne''s phone was in his hand.


    The screen showed Ryan''s name. Kevin was furious, his hand gripping the cold metal as it rang. He


    narrowed his eyes at the screen and let the call end. Then, he ced it on the table.


    It was only a few secondster when Anne''s phone lit up once again with a message. "Anne, have you


    made up your mind? As long as you cooperate, I will help you."


    At this, Kevin''s rage rose to a dangerous height. His jaw clenched as he stared at the message, barely


    suppressing the urge to rush straight to Ryan and silence him forever.


    Anne was too naive. She didn’t know when to doubt people, as if suspicion was a foreign and


    iprehensible concept to her. Everyone was her friend. And yet, this same woman was so cold to


    him.


    "My apologies, Mr. Kevin. It seems that I am not feeling too well. I hope you excuse my rudeness."


    Ryan gave him an elegant smile—one that would perfectly cover his true intentions, but Kevin didn''t


    need to dig too deep to find the real face buried in the facade.


    "Since you are feeling unwell, you should rest first. We can talk about business after you recover." With


    these words, Kevin stood up and walked to the door, leaving Ryan and his deceptively unfaltering smile


    behind.


    His face changed like quicksilver the moment Kevin was out the door. "Bastard, you''ve gone too far this


    time," Ryan hissed, his hand mming down on the table heavily. The woodined from the


    impact, and Ryan stewed in his own frustration. He wanted to throw a fit, but he understood his position


    all too well. He could destroy and trash the room all he wanted, but nothing would change the fact that


    Kevin had more power than him. There was a bitter taste left on his tongue, and it was not from the


    alcohol.


    It was early evening at Ian''s house.


    The lights were on, but the room almost seemed deserted save for the lone figure slumped on the sofa


    with a thoughtful expression on his face.


    ording to the people in the hotel, Anne went to the Fu Family''s residence with Kevin, but Ian didn''t


    know whether he should go there or not.


    He couldn''t get in touch with Anne either, which could only mean one thing.


    She was trapped.


    But she had gone there willingly. Otherwise, Kevin wouldn''t have had the chance to take her away.


    These conflicting thoughts twisted into knots in Ian''s head, and he grew increasingly frustrated. He


    didn’t have much to work with to form a solid n. Eventually, he decided to wait. If he still couldn''t get


    in touch with Anne tomorrow, he would face Kevin straight.


    It might unhinge Anne''s own n, but that was a minor concern. His foremost priority was her safety.


    Everything else was insignificant inparison.


    That night, a thick curtain of silence shrouded the East Mountain Vi.


    The pale moon hung quietly in the sky. Neon lights shed in the distance, and the roadmps glowed


    weakly on the deste roads.


    A Rolls-Royce stopped at the gates. After a few moments, the doors opened and Kevin drove in.


    Anne caught the telltale scent of alcohol on him as he entered the house. With yesterday''s events still


    fresh in her memory, she chose to avoid him.


    But obviously, Kevin would have none of it.


    "Anne, don''t you want to see the baby?" he sneered, his breath reeking of intoxication.


    At this, Anne stopped and asked, "Where is he?"


    "If you want to know, all you have to do is tell me what happened between you and Ryan," Kevin said,


    forcefully raising Anne''s chin.


    He gazed at her with a chill that sent a shudder through her bones. Anne''s heart sank at his words.


    She already had an inkling of what his words meant.


    "Kevin, give me back my phone," Anne said, stretching out her hand to take it.


    She knew that Kevin habitually put things in his left pocket.


    However, before she could reach her phone, Kevin had grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer.


    "What? Are you angry because I saw through your dirty little tricks?"


    Kevin was smiling at her, but it was full of mockery. His breath fanned over her skin from their proximity.


    Anne took a deep breath and pushed him away.


    "Kevin, don’t you think there are more important things you should be asking me? Like why I got


    engaged to Ian."


    Kevin froze for a moment at her words, then grew even more furious.


    So she had learned to bite back. It came as such a shock that the sweet, naive Anne also could also


    spit venom. He was caught off guard and didn''t know how to refute.


    What more weapons were she hiding in such a small body? he wondered.


    "It doesn''t matter. No matter who it is you have a rtionship with, it makes no difference in the end.


    Why don’t we make a deal, Anne?" Kevin said.


    "Is there still anything to say between us?" Anne answered back.


    Kevin had almost chuckled. There it was again. She was baiting him into battle. There was no way he


    wouldn''t engage. "Of course there is. Plenty of things, I might add. After all, it''s for the baby," Kevin


    said, watching Anne''s face as if reading every shift in her expression.


    Anne knew all too well what he was doing. Kevin was a shrewd businessman, and he knew her


    weakness. She forced herself to maintain a cool facade. "Tell me your conditions," she said.


    "I will let you see Eddy every day if that''s what you want, but you have to give me your word that you


    won''t take the child away. Otherwise, I guarantee you that you won''t be stepping out of this vi ever


    again," Kevinid out his demands as he looked straight into Anne''s eyes and waited for her answer.


    "Sure."


    "That''s not all. From now on, you won''t have any contact with other men. Do we have a deal?" he


    asked.


    "That''s going too far. I can be with anyone I want, and you have no control over my personal


    rtionships," Anne argued. This was not a deal. It was in coercion.


    "Well then, I guess you will never see your child again." With these words, Kevin turned around. If he


    stayed here any longer, there was no telling what his fury would do. There was nothing else to say.


    "Wait a minute."


    Kevin paused his steps but did not look back. He stood straight and waited. He knew that this was


    where she would relent.


    "Alright. But there are things I need to take care of first. I need time to sort out my own affairs," she


    said.


    "Don''t push it too far," Kevin answered then left the living room, taking the scent of alcohol with him.


    When he was gone, Anne breathed a sigh of relief, but the respite was only momentary. The next


    second, a heavy feeling sank in her chest. How could she exin to Ian what Kevin had demanded?


    True to his word, Kevin returned Anne''s phone back to her two hourster.


    She checked her messages and saw the ones from Ian and Ryan.


    She sent Ian a message to meet.


    Then, she dialed Ryan''s number. The moment he picked up, a cold smile came to Anne''s lips.


    "Anne, have you made up your mind?" Ryan asked, his voice expectant.


    "Don''t you know that I''m engaged to Ian?" Anne had already seen through Ryan. He was a vile and


    despicable man.


    "What? You''re engaged to Ian? Well, well… Aren''t you quite a crafty woman? Even Kevin wouldn''t dare


    be his enemy. No wonder you refused me. It turns out that you have already found someone else


    to use. How did you do it? Did you convince him in bed?"


    Ryan sneered. However, his mockery meant nothing to Anne. She was not unfazed in the slightest at


    his vulgarity.


    "It was a good thing that I didn''t agree to work with you," she said. With that, she hung up the call.


    In Greenlight Forest.


    It was three o''clock in the afternoon.


    There was dessert in front of Anne, but the sight of it did nothing to coax her appetite. She was in no


    mood to eat. She just sat quietly and waited for Ian.


    Ian was the sort of man to always be on the dot. Seeing that Anne was fine, he gave her a relieved


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    smile and held her hand. "I''m d you''re alright," he said.


    Even the warmth of his smile could not hide the dark circles under his eyes, nor the slight pallor in his


    unpleasantly in her gut.


    "I''m sorry for worrying you," she said, lowering her head.


    "It doesn''t matter. What''s important is you''re here now. The wedding will be on March, just in time for


    spring. No matter what, I will make you the most beautiful bride in spring." Honeyed words did not


    of this woman. He was speaking in anguage he did not know he possessed and he meant every


    word he said.


    "Don’t say that, Ian." Anne smiled.


    She looked at the man in front of her, who was aloof and distanced from everyone. Right here and now,


    there was no trace of coldness in him. His eyes were tender, and he revealed himself to her like the


    clear waters of a quiet spring.


    But all of these only twisted painfully as her guilt spread in her chest. If it weren''t for Kevin, she was


    sure she would have fallen in love with Ian. Even now when she knew that she could not give him her


    heart, she had almost wanted to.


    There were conflicting feelings in her that she had not yet untangled.


    Sometimes, in front of Ian, she would forget that she was alone. He was like a sturdy tree that


    promised shelter from the heat and rain.


    "Okay." Ian gazed at her, and although his eyes had remained tender, they held a weight that was not


    there before. He seemed to have understood something, but there was no sorrow or joy in his


    expression, just a quiet and calm eptance, almost as if it was surrender.


    "Let''s meet in a few days, okay?" All of a sudden, Anne lowered her head. Her eyes trembled and she


    let her long hair covered them.


    "Alright. I have an important business meeting in the United States. When Ie back, let’s talk


    again." Without asking anything, Ian agreed to Anne''s unreasonable request.


    Even now, he was giving without demanding anything else.


    Anne had to fight from breathing deeply from the twinge in her chest. "Well, it''s gettingte. Don’t worry


    about me. I''ll take good care of myself. I''ll see you again soon. Good luck on your business deal," Anne


    said.


    "Okay." Ian stood up and walked away. Anne couldn''t see his expression, but she could see his face


    when she closed her eyes.


    She wished she didn''t.


    Anne watched him until any trace of him waspletely gone. A stray tear fell from her eye as her


    gaze lingered on the road. He had given her nothing but goodness, but she had returned it with only


    pain. If she could, she would have willed her heart to turn to him, but she knew that it would not be fair


    to ask him to keep waiting for something as unsure as her feelings. He deserved something much more


    than uncertainty, and it was not something her shackled heart could give. It was sad that she could not


    <ppletely forget Kevin and start everything over.