Chapter 46: Your Woman

Tears brimmed in the eyes of Lin Feier and Zhao Yan’er as they gazed at him with a pitiful, heart-wrenching fragility. The two of them were already peerless beauties, but tied together as they were, they exuded an even more poignant allure.

Zhao Kai forced himself upright, his eyes cold as winter frost. “Let them go. If you have any grievances, come at me.”

They were his bottom line—the one thing he would never allow anyone to harm. Feier and Yan’er must not be hurt.

“So devoted, aren’t you? But it’s not your place to call the shots. You fear nothing, but you do have one weakness—your women. Naturally, I’ll use them against you.”

Zhao Kai’s gaze was murderous, but the lion-masked man pretended not to notice. “But of the two, which one is your woman?”

What? Zhao Kai was taken aback.

“I had your women brought here. Lin Feier is your wife, so naturally, she’s your woman. But I hear the Zhao family’s young lady, Zhao Yan’er, is also tangled with you—she counts as well. Since that’s the case, both of them have been tied up.”

If murder were a feasible option, Zhao Kai would have killed this man a hundred times over.

“No matter which is my woman, you shouldn’t lay a finger on either of them,” he said.

“That’s precisely why we want you to decide. Which one is your woman? Choose, and we’ll let the other go.”

Bastard... If only he had the strength, he’d kill the two before him without hesitation.

Playing with people’s lives like this?

And why make him choose? He wanted them both.

Feier and Yan’er were the women he cherished. He could not—would not—abandon either of them.

Tears streamed down Lin Feier and Zhao Yan’er’s cheeks. They were not afraid for themselves, but their hearts ached, seeing Zhao Kai so at the mercy of others.

They’d witnessed everything that had just transpired—how Zhao Kai would rather give up all his wealth than abandon those he loved. They felt only deep emotion.

Most men would be defenseless before such temptation, but only Zhao Kai was so clear about what he wanted.

But what was the point, given the current predicament?

“Hey, beauties, before you die, say a few words to your man.”

“If you have anything to say, say it to me! Don’t threaten or intimidate them!”

Zhao Kai gritted his teeth, shouting at the lion-masked man.

“You do care about them, don’t you? The more you care, the more I want to know—which one is really your woman?”

The man’s question made Zhao Kai look at the women whose hearts and eyes were full of him.

Both were, of course, the ones he cherished most deeply. But...he could not choose.

It was this very choice that had brought pain to Feier, that had led to both of them being captured, and to him being threatened.

“No need for this pointless talk. If we must die, kill us together.”

If he couldn’t save them, he would die with them.

“That won’t do,” the tiger-masked man retorted. He strode to the two women, drew a knife, and traced it menacingly across Lin Feier’s face. “If you won’t choose, this woman’s face will be ruined.”

Lin Feier trembled violently, her tears falling like rain as the man approached.

Zhao Kai was nearly driven mad, feeling more powerless than ever before.

“Don’t touch her!”

He cherished Feier so deeply that even seeing a single tear from her would shatter his heart.

“So it’s her, then.” The man smiled. “She’s your wife, after all. How could your woman not be her?”

With that, he sheathed his knife and turned to Zhao Yan’er.

Zhao Kai’s scalp prickled with fear—he nearly lost control and rushed forward. If not for the lion-masked man forcing him down, he would have been at Yan’er’s side in two steps.

“Such strength,” commented the lion-masked man.

Zhao Kai used every ounce of his power, staring fixedly at Zhao Yan’er. Yan’er, unlike Feier, showed no fear or trembling.

She simply gazed at the man she had loved all her life, etching his image into her memory.

But it was that calm and burning gaze that made Zhao Kai feel as if he were burning alive.

How could he stand by and watch Zhao Yan’er be hurt? How could he let things go on like this?

“Yan’er!” he cried out.

The knife hovered at Zhao Yan’er’s throat. The tiger-masked man frowned. “So which is it? You seem to care deeply for her, too.”

“Both! They are both my women!” Zhao Kai’s eyes were bloodshot, his voice near madness.

“That won’t do. You must choose one.”

Over my dead body!

“Either you kill us all together, or you get nothing. The choice is yours!”

“Brother!”

Zhao Kai’s wild desperation broke Zhao Yan’er’s heart. She, instead, was the one to make a choice.

“Brother, I know you’ve kept this secret for Feier’s sake. Your feelings are enough for me. Feier, I’m sorry. Please forgive me and Brother. Our love is true.”

Zhao Kai realized she was doing this on purpose—making the two masked men believe she was the one he loved most.

Lin Feier also understood: Yan’er was trying to give her the chance to survive.

She couldn’t let that happen.

“No, Yan’er, you can’t! It was my fault. I...after what I did, I don’t know how to face my husband or you. The blame is all mine.”

Yan’er smiled gently. “Feier, take good care of Brother for me. Without me, you must live happily together.”

With that, she seized the knife with a speed that took everyone by surprise.

“Let them go. I’ve made my choice.”

Zhao Kai broke down completely, summoning all his strength to shove off the man holding him and charge toward Yan’er.

Lin Feier never expected Yan’er to act so decisively. At this moment, she was deeply moved—she hadn’t realized there was someone else who loved her husband as much as she did.

Seeing her husband’s utter collapse, and Yan’er’s willingness to sacrifice her life for her, she suddenly understood everything.

“Yan’er, Brother has always cared for you. Can you really bear to leave him?” she asked.

Of course it hurt to leave, but to ensure Zhao Kai and Feier’s safety, she was willing to make this sacrifice.

“No, don’t!” Zhao Kai’s legs nearly buckled with fear; he even wanted to kneel before her. “Yan’er, please... Didn’t we agree to spend our lives together? Be good and give me the knife. We’ll get out of here, I promise.”

Seeing him trembling with fear, Yan’er smiled. That was enough for her.

“Brother, I don’t blame you. Truly. I can understand everything you said to Feier.”

“No—those words were meant for you, too! Feier holds a unique place in my heart, and so do you! If I could, I’d die in your place, just to keep you both safe. You are the ones I cherish most. I cannot watch you leave me.”

He wished he could tear out his heart and show it to her. His past indecision now filled him with regret; he wanted to face these two women who loved him openly and honestly.

Taking advantage of Yan’er’s moment of emotion, Zhao Kai snatched the knife and pressed it to his own throat, resolve hardening within him.

If his death would ensure their safety...that would be enough.