My whirlwind marriage partner is a wealthy CEO

Chapter 259 I don't like being used as a substitute

Chapter 259 Dislikes being used as a substitute

Tan Haoyu didn't answer, but gazed at her intently, his eyes fixed on her face, watching her every expression. His eyes were deep and complex, as if he were searching for something, or confirming something.

Zhu Ziqing blushed instantly when she saw Tan Haoyu staring at her. She stammered, "Mr. Tan, please don't misunderstand, I... I was just keeping Xiao Qingqing company. She's scared at night, and I was worried she wouldn't sleep well alone..." Her voice trailed off, sounding extremely embarrassed. After all, she was sleeping in his bed, a situation that made her feel utterly ashamed.

Tan Haoyu didn't hear what Zhu Ziqing said next; his attention was completely drawn to her addressing him as "Mr. Tan." At that moment, he felt a surge of intense anger and alienation. A violent energy seemed to surge within him, and he only wanted to pull her into his arms and tell her, "I'm your husband, how can you be so distant with me?"

However, he ultimately restrained himself. He took a deep breath, a faint smile appeared on his face, and said politely, "Thank you for your hard work, Miss Zhu."

Zhu Ziqing smiled awkwardly, carefully lifted Xiao Qingqing off her and gently placed her beside the bed. She was afraid of waking the child, so her movements were almost silent.

Then, she quickly got out of bed and hurried toward the door, as if a wild beast was chasing her.

Just as Zhu Ziqing was about to step out of the room, Tan Haoyu suddenly called out to her, "Wait a minute."

Zhu Ziqing suddenly stopped in her tracks. She turned to look at Tan Haoyu, her eyes filled with confusion and unease.

Tan Haoyu's gaze remained deep, and he said softly, "Don't rush off, chat with me for a while."

Zhu Ziqing paused for a moment, then smiled slightly, her tone polite but distant: "Okay, Mr. Tan."

After agreeing, Zhu Ziqing immediately added, "Actually, I came to the Tan family simply because I like Xiao Qingqing. I knew you were away on a business trip and wouldn't be back, so I agreed to stay with her." She paused, looking at Tan Haoyu with a firm gaze, "Don't worry, I have no ulterior motives regarding your identity; I simply like Xiao Qingqing."

Tan Haoyu's heart sank. Although Zhu Ziqing's words were gentle, every word felt like a knife, stabbing deeply into his heart. Deep down, he had always longed for Zhu Ziqing to have even the slightest bit of romantic interest in him. However, her clarification left him feeling utterly disappointed.

Seeing that Tan Haoyu remained silent, Zhu Ziqing smiled slightly and spoke more frankly: "I will leave the Tan family first thing tomorrow morning. I will have someone send you the first draft of the dress design as soon as possible. If there is anything you are not satisfied with, just have someone tell me."

She paused, a hint of panic in her eyes: "After all, I'm just a designer, I shouldn't stay here any longer."

Zhu Ziqing continued to explain, her mouth never stopping as she tried to make her position clear.

However, Tan Haoyu was no longer willing to listen. Every time she addressed him as "Mr. Tan," it felt like a knife stabbing into his heart, and this time it was even more overwhelming, making it impossible for him to control his emotions.

Tan Haoyu suddenly stepped forward, cupped Zhu Ziqing's face in his hands, pushed her towards him, and kissed her fiercely. His kiss was as ferocious as a hungry beast, carrying an almost desperate possessiveness, as if he wanted to make up for three years of longing, loneliness, and despair through this kiss.

Zhu Ziqing was kissed so hard she couldn't speak, only able to utter some indistinct syllables. Her mind was blank, and she could only let Tan Haoyu's kisses ravage her lips and teeth.

Zhu Ziqing stared wide-eyed at Tan Haoyu's handsome face so close to hers, momentarily forgetting to resist. It wasn't until she realized she was being violated that she snapped back to reality and tried to push him away.

However, Tan Haoyu was much stronger than she had imagined, and her struggles seemed so futile in the face of him.

Despite his refined appearance, Tan Haoyu seemed to possess boundless power within him.

Zhu Ziqing couldn't budge him at all. In her frustration, she tried to stomp on him, but he seemed to feel no pain and continued kissing her without stopping.

Zhu Ziqing's anger flared instantly. She glared angrily at Tan Haoyu, her eyes filled with incomprehension and disappointment. She had always thought Tan Haoyu was a gentleman, but she never expected him to do such a thing. She roared, "What exactly do you want? Didn't you say you deeply loved your wife? Why would you do this to me?"

Her voice trembled slightly, filled with disappointment: "Are all men so greedy? Do you really think that as long as you have money and power, you can do whatever you want?"

Tan Haoyu finally released Zhu Ziqing, but before she could catch her breath, he pulled her into a tight embrace. His voice was low and hoarse, carrying a hint of suppressed pain: "Zhu Ziqing, I will never let you leave me again."

These words sounded like a murmur, yet also like a heartfelt statement he had practiced a thousand times. His embrace was warm and strong, as if he wanted to meld her into his own body.

Zhu Ziqing's struggling movements gradually stopped. Her mind was in chaos, yet she seemed to understand something in a daze.

Tan Haoyu's loss of control was not because he had any improper thoughts about her, but because... he really regarded her as his wife.

Zhu Ziqing remained silent for a long time, her mind a jumbled mess, yet in a fleeting moment, she grasped a crucial point. She took a deep breath, mustered her courage, and asked in a low voice, "Mr. Tan, is your wife... also named Zhu Ziqing?"

Tan Haoyu's body stiffened slightly, and the strength in his arm loosened instantly. He didn't answer, but a complex emotion flashed in his eyes. Zhu Ziqing, however, seemed to have received an answer; her heart sank, and a hint of disappointment appeared in her eyes.

“I see…” Zhu Ziqing murmured softly, a hint of self-mockery in her voice, “You all treated me like someone else, didn’t you?”

She raised her head and looked at Tan Haoyu with a firm gaze: "My name is Zhu Ziqing, but I am not your wife. I am just myself, an independent person."

After a pause, Zhu Ziqing's tone revealed a hint of helplessness, "Being used as a substitute is a really uncomfortable feeling."

Tan Haoyu's mind was in turmoil. He wanted to tell Zhu Ziqing the truth, to tell her that she was his beloved wife, but he was also afraid that it would hurt her—whether she believed it or not. He took a deep breath, and finally slowly released his embrace, gently pushing her away from him.

Looking at Zhu Ziqing's familiar yet unfamiliar face, Tan Haoyu was filled with mixed emotions.

The cruel transition from losing and regaining to regaining and losing again almost suffocated him.