Destined to be his Wife

Chapter 2 - The First Step

"Ouch!" she muttered under her breath and stepped back in alarm, bowing slightly towards the person she collided with. An apology on her lips as heat overtook her face and sheer shame washed over her. Her cheeks flushing at her own clumsiness and knowing her father would go crazy at her for it.

"Stupid girl, go sit down" her father cursed her before she had a chance to speak at all, and upon lifting her chin was met with the icy cold snarl of her victim. He was turned her way in annoyance and frowning at her with piercing green eyes under furrowed brows.

It was YuZhi Leng, and this close, basking in the pale beauty of his eyes, a scowl formed on his chiseled lips which somehow enhanced his masculinity, she stopped breathing. It felt like the world stopped turning completely. Rabbit in the headlights or a defenseless small prey caught in the talons of a precise and experienced hunter.

His nearness, his familiar scent borne from old memories, and the way he towered over her in his strong form, scratching at forgotten interludes. Something about him pulled back the night of the dancefloor and cemented a visual of him eight years ago right there in her head. It had to be him.

This was more than just a similarity, or a thinking he shared small resemblances. His entire presence, the lording aura of a rich master of a powerful family she had sensed that night, though never asked him about. His eyes eating through to her soul, under straight dark brows, that had once captured her across a dancefloor in the same way. That jawline that weakened her knees and made her almost sway in reaction back then, and again now, when faced in the flesh this way. She would never forget how she trembled in his presence when he approached her and stole the very breath from her lungs. Much like he was doing now.

"Can you go sit? I don't like you being too close to me." His frosty tone and unexpected harsh words made her blink back in shock. The unfriendly command piercing her heart, bumping her back to earth and reality, and she stammered for a second, as though she hadn't heard him properly.

"Par... Pardon?" She acted like a clueless fool who had forgotten how to listen, and it only seemed to pull an angrier expression from him. Turning her blood cold and leaving her stricken with so many mixed emotions.

"Sit down, TangShi. Stop being foolish" her stepmother snapped, and TangShi was quick to remove herself and hurry to a nearby seat. Unable to continue to look him in the face as her embarrassment tinted her temples. Dazed at his words and complete rudeness.

The room became instantly quiet and tense as the butler began to dish out coffee to all those finding a comfy place to sit, and the older man of the three, leaned in with a smile. Looking like a king among mortal men and it was obvious he was used to having great power and command of all those around him.

The family Leng was known to be the number one wealthy family in China, with their fingers in so many enterprises, that they had built a formidable empire. Lei family was honored to become a connection in this way, so it was no surprise her father jumped at the chance to strike this bargain with them. Compared to them TangShi's family were small fish with hardly any notable wealth.

"We shouldn't beat around the bush. We all know why we are here, and this is just the final formality to finally meet the young Miss to proceed. My grandson and your daughter are to be wed, provide an heir to our two families, and bring Leng and Lei under one roof. It is good that we were swift to agree and come to this outcome." The older man, with his greying hair and long distinguished beard, eyes twinkling under thick brows, was just as intimidating as his grandson, and the family resemblance was strong. TangShi glanced at him quickly. Unable to stop herself looking to YuZhi and meeting an angry frown which made her crumble.