Chapter 6 Breathing Out of Rhythm
Zoey's fingers traced the cold glass, gently comforting Pixel, who was innocently perched on the balcony. But when she turned around, her tone cooled as she faced Andrew's tense profile.
"It doesn't bite, it's just...you are a total stranger to it."
Andrew didn't respond, his gaze sweeping over the dark shape on the balcony, his brows never relaxing. He walked straight to the center of the living room, took off his suit jacket, and tossed it onto the couch.
"Get rid of it tomorrow."
"No way."
Zoey refused without hesitation. Pixel was her only companion when she lived alone. "This is my dog."
"Zoey."
Andrew took two steps closer, his tall figure completely overshadowing her.
"This place belongs to the Anderson family. I don't want something that could lose control at any moment here."
Zoey's heart tightened, and she glared up at him.
"We're just a couple by agreement. You have no say in what I keep. Plus, the agreement states that once the term is up, we divorce, and this apartment becomes mine. So, it's my choice what I keep here now."
"Term?" Andrew scoffed, stepping even closer.
"You remember that well. But don't forget, the agreement also states that as my wife, you have an obligation to bear a child for the Anderson family. Have you fulfilled that?"
Zoey felt a sharp pain in her heart. The brief sweetness of their early marriage flashed in her mind. Was Andrew's behavior back then just to get her pregnant? Unfortunately, he hadn't succeeded in the short six months. After a long pause, Zoey steadied her trembling voice.
"You know very well..."
"Know what?"
Andrew interrupted her, pressing closer until their noses almost touched, his hot breath on her trembling lips. "Know that you're fickle? Or know that you treat this marriage like a game? Zoey, don't be naive. Since you signed the agreement, you should fulfill your duties."
Before she could respond, he suddenly grabbed the back of her neck and pulled her into his chest. Zoey didn't have time to struggle, crashing into his hard chest, her heart racing.
"What are you doing?!"
She struggled to push him away, but he twisted her wrist behind her back, immobilizing her.
Pixel, locked on the balcony, saw this and started pacing anxiously, letting out low whimpers.
Andrew glanced at Pixel, then looked down at Zoey's reddening eyes. His thumb brushed over her trembling lower lip before gripping her chin.
"Fulfill your duties,"
His voice was low and dangerously husky.
"...even at times like this."
Humiliation and panic overwhelmed Zoey. She turned her head to avoid his touch, pulling her hair painfully.
"Andrew, let go of me!"
Andrew acted as if he didn't hear her, his other hand slowly sliding down her waist, pressing against her side through the thin fabric of her dress, gently stroking.
"What are you avoiding? It's not like we haven't done this before."
He bit her earlobe lightly, not hard, but with a sense of punishment.
"From the day you signed the agreement, you should've known moments like this would come."
Zoey suddenly jerked her head, hitting his chin, and took advantage of his momentary pain to break free, stumbling back a few steps. She looked at the familiar yet strange Andrew in front of her and suddenly realized that all those moments she mistook for tenderness were fake.
He never saw her as a person, let alone respected her. He only saw her as a tool for having children. His grandfather, Aiden Anderson, needed a granddaughter-in-law to stabilize the family, and he needed a wife to fulfill the task of continuing the family line. And she happened to be the one who signed the agreement, a pawn to be manipulated at will.
All the past warmth was just to make her obediently play the role of his wife and fulfill his promise to Aiden.
Understanding this, Zoey suddenly found everything in front of her laughable. She pulled the corners of her mouth into a self-mocking smile.
"So, in your eyes, I'm worth less than a dog, just a tool for having kids?"
Andrew looked at her reddened eyes without answering, then suddenly bent down and lifted her horizontally.
"Andrew! Let go of me!"
Zoey was caught off guard as he lifted her, instinctively hitting his shoulder, struggling to get down. His arms were like iron bands around her knees and back, making her unable to move. She could hear the strong heartbeat in his chest.
Andrew ignored her struggles, striding towards the master bedroom.
The warm light of the living room was left behind, and the bedroom door was slammed open by his elbow, making Zoey's eardrums ache. The next second, she was thrown onto the soft mattress without any gentleness, her body bouncing. Before she could get up, Andrew's tall figure was already over her, his hands on either side of the bed, trapping her between him and the mattress.
In the darkness, she reached up to push his shoulder, her fingers touching the firm muscles under his shirt, but it felt like hitting cotton, having no effect. The air was filled with his scent, mixed with an oppressive sense of invasion, making Zoey's back break out in a cold sweat.
"Let go of me!"
Zoey kicked wildly with her other foot, the heel scraping his calf. Andrew frowned, but instead of letting go, he leaned closer, his warm breath on her neck.
"Behave."
Zoey struggled to grab the photo frame from the bedside table and smashed it against Andrew's shoulder. The edge of the frame hit his shoulder with a dull thud.
Andrew didn't dodge, and his gaze just grew colder.
"Don't make me get serious."
He grabbed the frame and threw it to the ground, the shattered glass distorting their smiling faces behind it.
Then came the sound of fabric tearing. Zoey's dress was ripped open, and Andrew's hand slid up along the torn fabric.