The CEO's Woman Chapter 484 - Proposition

"I will not marry you!" The more Wang Ruoyun gazed upon Li Qiang’s smirking face, the more her fury ignited. "Stop that infernal grinning!" she spat, her hand instinctively finding the hilt of her sword.

Several days had passed since the King’s public decree that she was to wed this so-called idiot. To this day, Wang Ruoyun could not comprehend the decision. Sleepless and enraged, she had spent countless nights replaying the events, her heart threatening to explode with fury each time Li Qiang’s lecherous visage crossed her mind.

"And why would you not?" Li Qiang tilted his head, his gaze sweeping over the chests of dowry that had just been presented at the Wang Residence. "Lady Wang… do you perhaps intend to defy the King’s edict?"

"Silence!" Wang Ruoyun rose abruptly from her velvet seat, striding towards the chests. "I require none of this!" She delivered a sharp kick to one of the ornate boxes.

"Then enlighten me, what is it that you do require? For I can certainly provide it," Li Qiang responded, a smile playing on his lips, crinkling the corners of his eyes.

"I have already stated… I will not marry you!"

"And do you truly believe… I am eager to marry you?" Li Qiang scoffed lightly. "I have undergone a transformation, Miss Wang. This union is merely a means to impress my elder brother."

As anticipated, Wang Ruoyun’s attention snapped back to him. Her gray eyes narrowed as she advanced towards Li Qiang. "Your acting skills are quite remarkable, Duke Li," she commented, her voice dropping to a low, dangerous tone. "You cannot deceive me."

A flicker of amusement danced in Li Qiang’s eyes as he raised an eyebrow. "Do not overestimate your own significance, Lady Wang." He noted to himself that Lady Wang Ruoyun’s temperament was the polar opposite of his own sister, Wang Ruo. This woman was known for her cold-blooded yet fiery nature, a sharp tongue, and an unyielding personality.

Wang Ruoyun’s gaze remained fixed on the smirk adorning the Duke’s face. "In my presence, you are utterly insignificant. I could dispatch you with a mere snap of my fingers," she declared, her eyes tracing the sharp line of his nose and then down to his seemingly perfect lips. "I could end your life this very instant, without a second thought." Her gaze returned to his deep brown eyes.

"Then…" Li Qiang’s smirk broadened as he leaned forward, his face mere inches from hers. "Would you care to accept a wager with me?"

"What sort of wager?" She detected the faint scent of mint emanating from his breath. A frown creased her brow. "Are you attempting to trick me?"

"I am not," Li Qiang stated plainly. "It is evident that neither of us desires this marriage."

Wang Ruoyun found his declaration difficult to accept. Despite her years spent on the fringes of society, she was not oblivious to the happenings in the Capital. This man was widely known as a lecherous simpleton, surrounded by a veritable harem of women. A fool and a coward, Duke Li was perceived as a foppish dandy who relied solely on his brother’s name to intimidate others.

He could barely control the elements, let alone wield them effectively!

That decree of marriage was, without a doubt, the greatest insult she had ever endured. How could she possibly submit to this absurdity? Wang Ruoyun had been deliberately provoking him since his arrival, hurling insults, curses, and displaying her fiery temper in the hope of provoking a reaction.

Her objective was for him to lose control, to threaten her life or perhaps even attack her. Then, she could swiftly end him. This, she believed, was her sole path to averting this unwanted marriage.

"Defeat me in a duel, and I shall petition the King to annul this betrothal," Li Qiang’s proposition was met with Wang Ruoyun’s immediate, incredulous laughter. She took a step back, her eyes alight with mockery.

"You?" she managed between fits of laughter. "You wish to contend with me?" Disbelief colored her words as she continued to laugh. "Do you truly believe you can best me, Duke Li?" She returned to her seat, thinking this man was not only debauched but also woefully unintelligent.

"Quite the contrary," Li Qiang corrected. "It is my fervent hope that you emerge victorious. Thus, providing me with the pretext to request the King’s cancellation of the wedding."

She observed the faint smile gracing the man’s lips. "And should you prevail?" she inquired.

"Then… we shall proceed with the marriage," he stated.

"Hah! That is an impossibility!" She motioned to one of her servants to pour her some wine. "You stand no chance of defeating me."

"Grant me one month. Let us face each other in combat on the eve before the King officially announces our engagement to the neighboring realms."

Wang Ruoyun took a deliberate sip of her wine before casting a glance at his attendant, who stood a respectful distance away. "Do you truly believe this man is serious?" she sneered, her gaze eventually returning to Li Qiang. "So, you genuinely harbor no desire to marry me."

"Indeed, I do not," Li Qiang replied without hesitation. "I am a man transformed. I would far rather immerse myself in scholarly pursuits than endure the company of a coarse woman like yourself on a daily basis."

"What did you just say?"

"Ouyang Jing… maintain your composure," Wang Ruoyun instructed her attendant, raising a hand to halt her. "He is merely here to amuse me." She then directed a smirk at Li Qiang. "A coarse woman, you say?"

"You possess neither elegance nor grace. While you are undeniably beautiful and capable with a blade, that is the extent of your virtues," Li Qiang asserted. "I could never agree to wed someone of your caliber."

"You—" Ouyang Jing drew his flaming sword, the blade shimmering with intensity. "Apologize to Lady Wang this instant!"

"Jing," Wang Ruoyun chimed in, her brow furrowed slightly. "He is unable to wield elemental powers." she explained, her gaze shifting towards Li Qiang with a hint of amusement. "Engaging him would be beneath you." A graceful smile then graced her lips as she turned her attention back to Li Qiang. "Very well, Duke Li. Your proposal is accepted. I shall face you in a duel. However, do not hold it against me... should I happen to inflict substantial damage upon your... more delicate areas."

A flicker of an unreadable emotion crossed Li Qiang’s eyes in the very next moment. After a few seconds of intense scrutiny upon her familiar countenance, he produced a document from his inner jacket pocket. "My blood has already been used as ink to sign this contract. If you emerge victorious... I shall petition the king to annul our engagement. But should I triumph... you will become my wife, the sole woman in my life for all time. What say you, Lady Wang?"