Thursday, eight o'clock.

In front of the desk, Tess Ashford's hand holding the mouse trembles slightly.

On the screen, there's today's top trending topic.

To express its heat, the headline is embellished with three bunches of tiny flame emojis.

"Mr. Tyler and the goddess designer Juno Marlowe, lovers finally tie the knot, extravagant engagement today."

From rare designer dresses to engagement rings as big as pigeon eggs, to the luxurious venue.

It's a lengthy report, but what Tess can only remember is the last line.

An unparalleled doting.

It's Tyler Sinclair.

He finally waited for the one he had in his heart.

Tess stares at the magnified engagement photo.

Juno is beautiful, proud, and confident, totally deserving to be by this man's side.

Those deep dark eyes hold a dangerous restraint, yet looking at Juno, there's a touch of tenderness he has never shown before.

So, can she leave now?

At this moment, the housemaid Lila, impatient, blocks the screen.

"Miss Tess, time's up. Mr. Tyler will be here soon and you're only allowed half an hour of internet usage each day."

Tess's eyes flickered slightly, "Mrs. Lila, can I stay online for just five more minutes, I..."

With a snap, Mrs. Lila disconnected the power cable.

"What a nuisance." Lila muttered, placing a gift box in front of Tess, "Mr. Tyler will arrive at nine. Go have a bath, change your clothes, and wait."

Tess opened the gift box, and it was, yet again, a piece of risqué sleepwear meant to humiliate her.

It had been three years since she was locked up in this house, constantly humiliated.

But he was already engaged. Why was he still treating her this way?

Tess pursed her lips and closed the gift box.

"I don't want to wear it."

"Oh well, it's not up to you! Mr. Tyler said I have the right to teach you some manners."

With a sarcastic laugh, Mrs. Lila rolled up her sleeves revealing her sturdy arms.

Tess still remembered the dark bruises left on her by Mrs. Lila when she arrived.

Tyler glanced at her, his tone mocking, "You indeed need to be disciplined."

Tess shrank back, resigned, and nodded.

"I understand."

Tess rose to her feet with the box in hand, staring at the exquisite penthouse, with the entire capital city's night view outside the floor-to-ceiling window.

The place was out of reach for most people.

Yet, three years ago, Tyler took her innocence and locked her here ever since, she has never been able to leave.

Mrs. Lila was right, she's a canary, and this place is her cage.

Perched high on a branch, she could watch the blue sky and white clouds, see the bustling cityscape, but she could not step out.

At exactly nine o'clock.

Dressed and ready, Tess stepped out of the bathroom.

Click, click, the flicker of a lighter sparkled in the dim room.

Tyler, who had been tenderly gazing at another woman during the day, was now sitting on the couch with a cigarette in his mouth, tilting his head back as he puffed smoke.

The light from the flames cast an intricate play of light and shadow over his deep, refined features.

His long legs crossed, smoke billowing gently from his mouth, he sips at a glass of wine with the hand that's holding a cigarette.

But his dark eyes freely roamed over Tess's body.

He was indolently rakish.

"Come here."

The chilling voice was like icy spring water, sending a shiver down Tess's entire body.

But she couldn't resist, she could only walk to Tyler with her arms wrapped around herself.

The next second, he confined her on his lap, his thin lips caressed her neck, finally biting down hard.

She closed her eyes in pain.

But he smiled: "What's there to hide? We match so well."

His laughter contained no warmth, it was purely taunting.

Tess numbly shut her eyes, gathering the courage to say: "Mr. Tyler, the three-year term is up, can you let me go?"

Tyler's hand playing with her shoulder strap didn't stop, he didn't care about what she said at all.

He took a puff of his cigarette, slowly blowing it out at her, his eyes narrowing: "Have you been watching the news? Do you think you qualify to throw a tantrum here?"

"I don't, so please let me go! I..."

"How much do you want this time?" Tyler interrupted, darkness filled his eyes.

"I don't want money, I just want to leave... please, you're already engaged, aren't you?"

Tess lowered her pride and begged, her eyes filled with pleading.

Yet she didn't realize that her tender and delicate appearance was like addictive drug.

Tyler lost his patience, stubbing out his cigarette and pulling down her shoulder strap.

"I'm not spending the night, don't waste my time, your act is quite uninteresting."

"I really...ah...don't want money."

The pain made Tess bite down on her lips, and her slender legs weakly swayed with the motions.

Today, Tyler was unhappy, and was extremely rude to her.

Tess wanted to escape, but she was firmly trapped by him.

Hmm.

A shy voice wafted out.

Tyler moved closer to her, sneering, "Your body is honest."

There was a faint smell of tobacco on him, and the smell of a woman's expensive perfume.

Tess knew whose it was.

She forcibly turned her face away, intending to avoid the smell of perfume.

Tyler's eyes deepened, and his husky voice was particularly charming: "Are you angry? Could it be that you've fallen in love with me? If so, you are...quite despicable."

Tess opened her eyes, biting down fiercely on her lips, leaving a row of bloody teeth marks.

The taste of blood surged in her mouth, but it couldn't compare to the pain in her heart.

She was really despicable.

And she was truly in love with him.

But he knew nothing.

Ten years ago she was his follower, but now, they found themselves on opposing sides.

He had also forgotten her.

Only hatred remained.

Tess clenched her fists, enduring the pain, she muttered, "I don't love you...Ah!"

Upon hearing this, Tyler's face became terrifyingly gloomy, as if he was venting all of his pent-up anger on her.

Not until her nightgown was completely ripped apart did he reluctantly rise to take a shower.

Moments later, he exited the bathroom wrapped in a bath towel and casually poured himself a glass of wine.

His drenched silhouette, broad shoulders and narrow waist paired with well-toned muscles made him appear seductively restrained.

After finishing his wine, he leisurely changed his clothes.

Seemingly oblivious to Tess's discomfort on the bed.

As soon as Tess regained a little strength, she ignored her bruises, she clutched his clothes with her blanket-covered body.

"Mr. Tyler, has three years of punishment been enough?" Tess asked.

Tyler paused buttoning his shirt, he turned around and harshly grasped her chin.

His deep, bottomless eyes caused a chill to run down her spine.

"Do you think it's enough?"

"Mr. Tyler, I truly did not cause your mother's death." Tess pleaded through her pain.

Three years ago, Tyler's mother committed suicide by jumping off a building in the mental hospital. She happened to be at the scene.

She also held another identity.

Tess Ashford was the daughter of Tyler's father's mistress.

Everyone suspected that she intentionally stirred up Tyler's mother to commit suicide, so that her own mother, the mistress, could ascend to her position.

Tyler believed this as well.

So since the day her mother married into the Sinclair family, Tess was confined in this cage.

Tyler's mother was confined in the mental hospital for three years, and she was trapped here for the same time.

"Don't mention my mother."

Tyler coldly pulled back his clothes and turned away to leave.

After a few minutes, Tyler's assistant, Tommy knocked on the door and entered.

He glanced at the torn dress on the floor, and with a look of disdain, handed over a phone.

"The usual rule, half an hour of call time with the outside world. Sir is giving you an extra ten minutes today, manage it well and don't make a fuss."

This was her reward after every service to Tyler.

But she was truly exhausted.

To be imprisoned and toyed with by the one she deeply loved carried her from explanation to numbness, finally to despair.

She couldn't love anymore. She didn't have the strength to love.

She had yearned for more than a thousand days and nights, longing only for freedom.

Everything was shattered.

Contemplating that she had to continue living this way, from somewhere unknown came the courage to push Tommy away and rush out of the room wrapped in her quilt.

Tyler was putting on his coat, his movements elegant and noble.

Tess grabbed a fruit knife from the dining table and held it to her throat.

As she looked at his tall, upright silhouette, she said brokenly, “What exactly am I to you? A captive? Every day, I have half an hour on the internet, under the watch of the servants, awaiting your favor on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, and then half an hour of contact with the outside world. That’s it! I can’t take it anymore! Since you’ve decided that I'm the killer, can I die? After all, there isn't much difference between now and death.”

Tyler's silhouette clearly stiffened.

But in an instant, he was in front of her and he took the fruit knife from her hand.

"Do you want to die? Wait till I get bored of you."

With a clang, the fruit knife was thrust straight into the dining table.

Her courage was minced to pieces.

They all said that Tyler was ruthless, and Tess experienced this deeply.

She knew the more she said, the less certain she would be where the knife landed.

Tyler expressionlessly adjusted his sleeves and stormed out of the room.

Tommy stepped forward, and gleefully said, "Miss Tess, if you don't want to make the call, I will take the phone away."

With no other option, Tess reached out her hand: "No, give it back to me."

Tommy sneered, "I thought you had more spine."

Pale-faced, Tess clenched the phone tight in her hand. She must make the call.