10:00 PM — Li Family Mansion, Zhenyu's Study
The sharp sound of a knock on the door broke the stillness of the room, and Zhenyu didn't need to turn to know who it was. His mind had been elsewhere, lost in the words he had exchanged with Yinyin earlier. Their conversation had lingered in his mind like a bitter taste he couldn't get rid of. She had finally seen through him, and though her words had hurt, they had also confirmed something crucial. She was no longer the naïve woman who had fallen for his charm. She was starting to question him.
Good.
Zhenyu turned his chair to face the door, and without waiting for a response, he spoke, his voice cutting through the air like a blade. "Enter."
The door creaked open, and Qiulan stepped inside. She was as poised as ever, her black pencil skirt and white blouse pristine, but her eyes betrayed a hint of unease. Zhenyu didn't miss it. She was troubled. No one entered his presence with uncertainty unless they had a reason to.
Qiulan stopped a few paces from his desk, her posture straight but her gaze shifting uneasily to the floor for a fraction of a second before meeting his eyes. "Zhenyu," she began, her voice calm but lacking her usual confidence. "The matter we discussed earlier… I've been thinking."
Zhenyu's lips curled into a subtle smile, but there was no warmth in it. "And what have you been thinking, Qiulan? Speak freely. I'm listening."
The assistant hesitated, her fingers lightly tapping the edge of the desk as she considered her next words. "I think there are forces moving against us. Feng Yun is making his moves. I've been receiving intelligence that his company is positioning itself in a way that could harm us."
Zhenyu leaned forward slightly, his hands steepled before his face. His eyes narrowed, the cold calculation in them sharpening with every passing second. "Feng Yun. That man has always been a thorn in my side." He chuckled darkly. "Did you think I didn't know?"
Qiulan met his gaze, trying to gauge his mood. "Then… are we ready to confront him? Or will we allow him to pull ahead?"
Zhenyu's smile faded. "We will strike first, Qiulan. But the time is not right yet. Feng Yun is still too weak. I will let him think he's winning. That's the perfect setup." His voice softened, but his tone grew colder. "You know as well as I do that I never move unless I'm certain of the outcome."
Qiulan swallowed, the tension between them palpable. She could feel the weight of his words pressing down on her. Zhenyu's strategies were always complex, always calculated. She knew this well, and yet… there was something in the way he spoke now that unsettled her.
"You still think you can win?" she asked, her voice laced with disbelief. "After everything?"
Zhenyu's eyes flashed. His gaze hardened, and the power he exuded became almost suffocating. "I never lose, Qiulan. The ones who think they've won are always the ones who lose."
Qiulan stayed silent for a long moment, weighing his words. She had been with him for years, trusted him with everything. But in this moment, she saw him for what he truly was — a man driven by an insatiable hunger for power, no matter the cost.
10:30 PM — Shen Family Residence, Yinyin's Bedroom
Yinyin lay in bed, her eyes wide open as she stared at the ceiling. The events of the evening replayed in her mind, like an endless loop she couldn't escape. Zhenyu's words, his cold detachment, the way he seemed to view everything and everyone as nothing more than pieces on a chessboard — it unsettled her more than she cared to admit.
I should have known, she thought bitterly. I should have seen the signs.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the soft sound of her phone buzzing on the bedside table. She picked it up, her heart skipping a beat when she saw the name on the screen.
Feng Yun.
She didn't hesitate. She answered quickly, her voice tinged with a mixture of curiosity and wariness. "Feng Yun?"
His voice was smooth, confident, as always. "Yinyin, I need to speak with you. It's important."
There was something urgent in his tone, and Yinyin's instincts immediately kicked in. "What's going on? What's happened?"
Feng Yun was quiet for a moment. "Zhenyu is playing a dangerous game. And I don't think he's even aware of how close he is to losing everything. I want to help you… but I need to know I can trust you."
Yinyin felt a knot form in her stomach. She knew exactly what Feng Yun was implying. He wanted her to turn against Zhenyu — to side with him. But she wasn't ready for that. Not yet.
"Why are you telling me this?" she asked, her voice guarded.
"Because," he replied, his tone low and serious, "you're too important to him. You need to know what he's capable of."
Yinyin's fingers tightened around the phone, her thoughts racing. She knew this game was far from over. And she was no longer sure who the real enemy was.
11:00 PM — Li Family Mansion, Zhenyu's Study
Back in his study, Zhenyu sat alone, his thoughts swirling like a tempest. The tension with Yinyin had only fueled the fire of his determination. He had to win — at any cost. His empire was built on manipulation, control, and ruthless strategy. And he would not let it slip through his fingers.
His phone buzzed again, and he picked it up, his expression unreadable as he read the message.
"Everything is in place. We strike tomorrow."
Zhenyu's lips curled into a faint, victorious smile. Tomorrow would be the beginning of the end for those who dared challenge him.