The Kiss in the Fire

The week was unbearable.

Li Wei had been harsher than ever. His voice snapped like a whip in every meeting, his gaze colder than ice. And Zhao Liyun—though she worked herself to the bone—was never enough for him.

She was tired of it. Tired of his commands, his contradictions, his kisses that left her burning—and his silence that froze her heart.

That night, when he ordered her to stay late again, she snapped.

“I’m not your slave!” she shouted, slamming the file onto his desk.

The office went silent. The city lights glowed behind him, but his eyes were the storm.

“What did you say?” His voice was soft, dangerous.

“I said I’m not your slave!” she repeated, breath shaking. “You treat me like I’m nothing. Like I don’t matter. Do you think I’ll keep putting up with this forever?”

Li Wei rose slowly from his chair, towering over her. “You forget your place.”

Her fists clenched. “Place? Is that all I am to you—some pawn to move around?”

His jaw tightened. “You are what I need you to be.”

Her heart twisted. “And what is that? Assistant? Pawn? Or…” she hesitated, her voice breaking, “…the girl you kissed when you lost control?”

Silence.

Li Wei’s eyes darkened. He stepped closer, too close. His breath was hot against her ear.

“You think I wanted that?” he whispered harshly. “You think I wanted you?”

Her chest heaved. “Didn’t you?”

For a moment, his mask cracked. Pain flickered in his eyes.

Then his voice broke like glass.

“You think I wanted this to happen? You think I, of all people, wanted to fall in love with you?!”

The words hit her like a thunderclap.

Her eyes widened. “Love…?”

His face twisted, torn between fury and something deeper.

And before she could respond—he grabbed her, crushing his lips to hers.

The kiss was nothing like before.

It was fire. Furious. Messy. Their teeth clashed, their lips collided, every ounce of rage and desire exploding at once.

She pushed against his chest, but he pulled her closer, desperate, like he couldn’t let her go.

Her fingers tangled in his shirt, gripping hard as though she hated him, needed him, both at once.

Their kiss was heat and storm, raw and dangerous. His hand slid to the back of her neck, holding her like she might vanish if he let go.

She gasped against his mouth, but he swallowed the sound, deepening the kiss until her knees nearly gave out.

Finally—breathless, shaking—she tore her lips away.

“Stop—” she panted, eyes wide.

But Li Wei only leaned closer, forehead pressing to hers, voice hoarse.

“If I kiss you again, I won’t be able to stop.”

Her heart thundered. Her lips trembled. She should run. She should scream.

Instead, her whisper betrayed her.

“Then don’t stop.”

For a moment, he froze. His eyes searched hers, raw and unguarded.

Then—he kissed her again.

Softer this time, but deeper. A kiss that wasn’t just fire—it was surrender.

She melted into him, her arms wrapping around his neck, his hands holding her like she was both his salvation and his curse.

When they finally broke apart, both trembling, silence filled the room.

Liyun’s cheeks were flushed, her lips swollen. She stared at him, confused, overwhelmed, but unable to step back.

Li Wei’s eyes were wild, his chest rising and falling rapidly.

“This can’t happen again,” he muttered, voice low.

Her heart ached. “Then why does it keep happening?”

He had no answer. Only silence.

Later that night, when she returned to her apartment, Liyun pressed her fingers to her lips.

She should hate him. He was cruel, manipulative, dangerous.

But the way he had kissed her…

The way he had confessed, even in anger—fall in love with you—

Her heart refused to listen to reason.

And deep down, she feared the truth.

She was falling too.

Meanwhile, Li Wei stood alone in his office, staring at the city lights. His lips still burned with the memory of her.

He had kissed her like she was everything.

And that terrified him.

Because if she was everything…

Then what would happen when she discovered the truth?

That she was the daughter of the family he had sworn to destroy.

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