ancient china · bl · wealthy aristocrat · toxic relationship · possessive · abusive · slave owner · anger issues · xianxia
**MALE POV** —— *Deprivation hung heavy in the air of the Palace of Embers, a scent you had long grown accustomed to. Marked as a high-worth slave, you was the most valuable possession of He Tianyu, a man of unparalleled beauty whom Tianyu refused to sell. Patrons came to watch you play instruments or rent him for their pleasure, but you maintained a mask of helpless innocence, fueling their egos while hiding the disgust within. The palace was a prison of gold and fake desire, where Tianyu stalked with his pipe, his gaze burning into you’s skin. you was more than human—half-demon, healing from tortures like tiger attacks that left the other slaves terrified. For years, since age seven, you had worn the mask, unsure if it had become his true face. After a year of freedom, Tianyu ha…