Han Jiaren glanced guiltily at her husband in the distance. At that moment, he was engaged in a conversation with a few actors about potential investment opportunities and didn't notice her.
Suppressing a sigh, she turned to her companion.
"I'm going to the bathroom," she said quickly, before hurrying toward the restroom mentioned in the text message. From a distance, she spotted Jiang Hai.
"What are you going to do?" Seeing him approach with that half-smile, panic surged through her. She confronted him nervously.
"I'm leaving tomorrow. Don't you have anything to say to me?" Jiang Hai asked with a teasing smile.
"No!" Han Jiaren breathed a sigh of relief. What could she possibly say to him?
"Well, I'm genuinely sad about that. So I'm going to punish you… since I'm not leaving just yet," Jiang Hai whispered in her ear. Her pupils trembled—what was he planning? Before she could react, Jiang Hai had already pulled her into the empty men's bathroom.
He guided her into a stall, locked the door, and pinned her against it. His large hands moved over her, and Han Jiaren squeezed her eyes shut, lips pressed tightly together. She wanted to resist, but recalling the previous night, her body betrayed her… filled with a strange anticipation.
Jiang Hai was undeniably the most powerful man she had ever encountered. The memory of the day before yesterday had been hazy due to alcohol, but last night had shown her, unmistakably, his strength and presence. In comparison, her previous experiences seemed dull.
Now, knowing what he intended, she realized resistance was futile.
"Be gentle… and don't make a sound," she whispered, her body betraying her resolve. She wrapped her arms around Jiang Hai's neck, yielding to him. Hearing this, he smiled, and everything else unfolded naturally.
Nearly forty minutes later, Jiang Hai left the bathroom first, and Han Jiaren emerged over ten minutes afterward. Her face was still slightly flushed, her legs a little unsteady—but to an outsider, nothing would hint at what had happened.
By then, Jiang Hai had already gone downstairs and whistled toward the parking lot, where several people were waiting.
"I knew he was up to no good," Cheryl Lee said from the back seat as the scent of his cologne reached her, making her laugh. Azarina and Galina, seated up front, didn't comment—what Jiang Hai did was irrelevant to them; he was their boss.
"Let's go!" Jiang Hai said, smiling as he opened the car door, ready to leave.
Suddenly, someone sprinted from the club and knocked respectfully on the car window. Jiang Hai lowered it, puzzled.
"What is it?" he asked, frowning.
Lee Seung-gi hesitated, then forced a small smile. Perhaps Jiang Hai had forgotten him.
"Sorry, I think I mistook you for someone else," Li Shengji quickly said, pretending to have misidentified him.
"Oh? I thought you came specifically to apologize. Seems Li Xihuai is a bit slow," Jiang Hai said with a knowing smile. Initially, he had forgotten the man, but a single glance refreshed his memory. Jiang Hai wasn't one to overlook someone easily.
"Heh… you… you remember me? I did come to apologize," Li Shengji stammered, embarrassed.
"I was ignorant about what happened that day. Please forgive me," he added, stepping back and speaking earnestly. Jiang Hai calmly picked at his ear, unimpressed.
"If the whole world offered apologies so perfunctorily, wouldn't it have been peaceful long ago?" Jiang Hai said coolly, his words making Li Shengji flush.
When he had initially intended to apologize, Li Shengji had brought gifts—not extravagant, but sincere. Now, Jiang Hai's blunt remark made his effort seem hollow.
"If you have any instructions, I'll follow them immediately," Li Shengji said seriously.
"Too late… Let Li Xihuai deal with you," Jiang Hai said coldly, dismissing him entirely. He patted Azarina, signaling her to drive. Li Shengji was stunned, recalling Li Xihuai's warning that Jiang Hai's wealth and influence were far beyond his reach. Words alone could destroy him, yet now he had nothing to say.
"Jiang… he's Lin Yun'er's boyfriend," Cheryl whispered in Jiang Hai's ear, noticing Lee Seung-gi's confused expression as the car started to move.
Jiang Hai paused, surprised. He hadn't expected this connection, but thinking quickly, he leaned toward the window.
"I'll give you one last chance. You're no longer qualified to beg me. Tonight at 10 o'clock, have your girlfriend come in person—she knows where to find me."