Chapter 5 — The CEO's Only Antidote

I pushed him away, stepping back repeatedly.

"Huo Van Dinh, don’t you dare go too far! I just moved in here!"

"I know."

He put the ring away, his expression devoid of the slightest disappointment.

"I’m just giving you advance notice so you can prepare yourself mentally."

"I don’t need to prepare anything! I will not marry you!"

"That is not for you to decide."

He took a step forward, cornering me against the vanity table.

"Have you forgotten? Your allergy… it needs to be treated. And marriage—that is the key ingredient in the prescription." His breath brushed against my face. As I stared into his eyes, which were inches from my own, I saw deep undercurrents I could not fathom. A realization dawned on me, terrifying and severe: I had invited a wolf into my den. I had thought moving was merely a change of address, but it seemed Huo Van Dinh intended to devour not just my body, but my heart as well.

At dinner, I finally understood the meaning of a grand feast. The long table was laden with an endless array of dishes—Chinese and Western, land and sea—a spread fit for royalty. Yet, there were only four of us. The two children ate happily, while Huo Van Dinh and I sat in stifling silence.

"Eat more of this." He placed a scoop of bird’s nest into my bowl. "It’s good for your health."

I ate in silence, saying nothing.

"This is delicious, too." He followed up with Australian lobster. I continued to eat, wordless.

"Is it not to your liking?" He furrowed his brows.

"That’s not it." I set down my chopsticks. "Huo Van Dinh, can we talk?"

"No talking while eating, no talking while sleeping." He ladled a bowl of soup for me. "Eat first, then we shall talk."

Fine. I held my tongue. When the meal finally ended and the nanny took the children away for their bath, I immediately confronted him. "Can we talk now?"

"Certainly." He wiped his mouth, his demeanor infuriatingly composed. "What is it you wish to say?"

"Can we establish three rules?" I took a deep breath, shifting into negotiation mode. "First, you can be kind to Tu Mac, but you are not to bribe him with money!"

"I am not bribing him; I am fulfilling my responsibilities as a father."

"Still, no! Children should not place such importance on material things!"

"Very well." He nodded with alarming ease. "I shall be more mindful in the future."

I was stunned. I hadn’t expected him to be so accommodating.

"Second," I continued, "do not mention the mistress of the house or marriage ever again! We are simply the children’s parents, living under the same roof as housemates."

"I am afraid that is not possible." He shook his head. "A formal title is mandatory."

"Why?!"

"Because of you." He looked at me, his gaze profound. "I do not want you living here only to be viewed by others as a mistress without a name."

My heart skipped a beat.

"Third," I hurried to the final condition, "and most importantly! You are not to touch me! We must sleep in separate rooms and maintain a safe distance!"

I stared at him, tense and defiant. Huo Van Dinh remained silent for a moment before letting out a soft laugh. He stood up, slowly approached me, and leaned over, pinning me in the chair with his arms.

"The first two... I can consider," he whispered, leaning so close that his voice was meant only for me. "But as for the third... that is impossible. My allergy... it needs to be treated as well. And you... you are the only medicine that works."

I stood there, frozen in shock. His allergy? What on earth was he allergic to? Women? That made no sense. If he were allergic to women, how were Tu Mac and Du An conceived? By imagination?

"What... what are you talking about?" I stammered, my heart thumping wildly.

Huo Van Dinh stood to his full height, looking down at me with a cryptic, inscrutable smile. "I mean that for the past five years, I haven’t touched a single woman."

My brain short-circuited. Five years without a woman? Was that even possible? He was Huo Van Dinh—the man every woman in the city dreamt of marrying. How could he possibly lack for company?

"You’re lying!" I countered instinctively.

"Whether I am lying or not, you will find out in time." He reached out, his fingers grazing my cheek, sending a shiver down my spine. "Giang Thoi Vu, you are the only one... who doesn't trigger my reaction."

His voice was low and gravelly, laced with a dangerous allure. I looked into his deep, swirling eyes and felt my resolve crumbling. I had to admit, I was rattled. A man who had stayed celibate for five years because of me—who could resist that?

"So..." He leaned in again, his hot breath against my lips. "Separate rooms? Impossible. A safe distance?" He didn’t need to finish; his actions provided the answer. A gentle yet persistent kiss fell upon my lips. Unlike the fleeting peck on the cheek earlier, this was a kiss of intense possession. My mind went blank, all ability to resist vanishing. I could only accept it. And, annoyingly, his technique seemed even more refined than it had been five years ago.

When he finally pulled away, I leaned back in the chair, gasping for air, my face burning.

"Well? Do you still feel the need for a safe distance?" He traced my swollen lips with his thumb, his voice raspy. I glared at him, too furious to speak. The man was a scoundrel!

"Huo Van Dinh, you are a jerk!" I finally roared.

"Yes, I suppose I am," he replied nonchalantly, before scooping me up from the chair.

"Hey! What are you doing? Put me down!" I shrieked, clutching his neck by reflex.

"Sleeping." He carried me toward the stairs with the ease of someone who had done this a thousand times. "It’s late. Time to rest."

"I am sleeping in my own room!"

"Your room is my room."

He carried me straight into his master suite. It was even larger than mine, decorated in stark black, white, and gray—a cold, ascetic aesthetic that fit him perfectly. Only, what he was doing right now had nothing to do with asceticism. He gently laid me on the massive bed and leaned over me.

"Huo Van Dinh! Don’t you dare! I... I’m not ready!" I pushed against his chest, which felt as solid as steel and as hot as a furnace.

"I know," he said, taking my hand and kissing it, his eyes full of restraint. "Rest assured, I won't do anything until you give me your word. Tonight, we are simply lying here under the covers."

I looked at him with skepticism. Was he truly that well-behaved? As it turned out, I was still too naive. He did nothing improper, but he treated me like a human body pillow, holding me tightly all night. His chin rested on the crown of my head, his warm breath fanning my hair. His heart beat strongly against my back, a steady, rhythmic thrumming. I lay stiff as a board, not daring to move.

"Relax a little," he murmured, sensing my tension and loosening his grip slightly. "I’m not going to eat you."

But he might as well have been! "Huo Van Dinh," I whispered, my voice choked. "Why... why are you doing this?" Why me? There were thousands of better, kinder, more beautiful women out there.

He was silent for a long time. "I don't know myself," he sighed, his voice tinged with resignation. "Perhaps it was that night five years ago. You cast a spell on me. Ever since that day, I’ve had no interest in any other woman. The doctors said it was psychological. A psychological illness requires a specific treatment, and you—you are my only cure."

His words hit me like a stone dropped into a still pond, sending ripples through my soul. My supposed "allergy to money" had been a ruse, but his "allergy to women" was apparently very real. And I was his antidote. The thought filled me with a strange cocktail of pride, heartache, and bewilderment.

"So... what do you plan to do?" I asked quietly.

"What else can I do?" He pulled me tighter, as if trying to merge our very bones. "I will keep you by my side until my illness is fully cured."

"And if it never goes away?"

"Then I shall keep you for a lifetime."

His voice held an irresistible, overbearing certainty. In that moment, my heart completely surrendered to the chaos.