Without understanding his drowning mood and darkened eyes, Ye Shu moved towards him, sitting beside, grabbing a glass, the air in the room somehow turned cold. Han Ziqi shivered, something bad gonna happen, he thought.
"Yichen!" Ye Shu beamed, like nothing was wrong. "Long time, bro. I heard you helped out my family while I was away. Man, I owe you one!"
Mo Yichen stared at him, unblinking. Still grinning, Ye Shu's teeth flashed, oblivious. Mo Yichen's hands itched. Mo Yichen usually didn't dislike Ye Shu; he could tolerate him on most days, but right now, he wanted to punch that ugly face of his. Just breathing the same air made his fists itch.
Ye Shu was the kind of guy who dressed to the nines to make up for his complete lack of personality. A poor knockoff of his father. Average face, average mind, overinflated ego, not even charmingly flawed, just tolerated. Thinking back, Yichen realized: they were never really friends. Just unfortunate acquaintances.
"Brother A-Chen…" came the sticky-sweet voice of Ye Yutong.
And that was the final nail in the coffin.
Mo Yichen immediately regretted showing up. He could have been at home, drinking tea with Xia Ruyan. Maybe discussing a book, maybe saying something philosophical, just to see that flicker of expression on her face. Her amber eyes didn't feel like ice in those moments.
But no. He was here, being fed faux sweetness by someone whose voice made his skin crawl.
"Brother A-Chen, thank you for saving me," she continued, voice soft and dramatic. "You left so suddenly, I didn't even get the chance to thank you properly. My parents also want to express their gratitude."
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. The room broke into whistles and knowing glances.
"So that's why The Eclipse showed up?" Bo Qinghai grinned.
Han Ziqi slid forward in excitement. "For Yutong? Damn, brother Mo, never thought you'd fall for her sweetness after all these years. Ice finally melted, huh?"
Yutong blushed, leaning into the moment. Letting everyone believe it.
"No," Mo Yichen said coldly, setting down his empty glass. "Not for her."
He could have let them believe her; let it slide like always. But this time, it had cost him more than he could afford. They called him dishonorable, right to his face, and he had no way to refute it. The Xia family and their kin looked at him like he wasn't even worth the dust on their shoes.
He, the proud President of Mo Empire, was reduced to a mistake in their eyes, all because of one wrong decision. He had let some random woman soil his name. He thought indulging her was just a harmless way to repay a favor to the Ye family. It seemed simple enough, no strings attached. But he understood, too late, just how wrong he was.
Dead silence. Yutong's smile faltered. Her fingers twitched slightly at her side.
Gasps. Murmurs. Confused glances. Whispers of; Isn't she CEO Mo's girlfriend? and What does he mean no? And if not, why was she claiming it was for her? buzzed like flies in the room.
Ye Shu tried to redirect. "Alright, alright. Let it go." He gave a forced laugh. "How's the family? Everyone good?"
The question was casual. Too casual. But it carried the weight of a snare.
"Why ask?" Mo Yichen said flatly. "Don't your daily updates tell you already?" Mo Yichen replied, swirling his drink. "Oh, wait. That's right. Your 'reporter' isn't picking up anymore."
Ye Shu froze. "What… what are you talking about?" The rest of the room was getting restless as well. Han Ziqi and Bo Qinghai also got serious. What was happening here?
"You think I don't know?" Mo Yichen's voice lowered to a dangerous drawl. His voice wasn't loud. It didn't have to be.
"Brother A-Chen… did Miss Xia—" Yutong started, but didn't get to finish.
Mo Yichen slammed his glass on the table. It shattered on impact. Yutong jumped back, her lips trembling. In that split second, an image burned into his mind: Xia Ruyan, unconscious, clutching her father's collar. Her injuries. Her healing scars, soft and pink against pale skin, fragile as pressed petals.
His jaw clenched tightly. A muscle twitched near his temple. The rage that had simmered all night surged again, colder now, sharper.
"She doesn't do theatrics. And she sure as hell doesn't waste breath on people who mean nothing to her."
"Mo Yichen!" Ye Shu barked. Yichen looked straight at him.
"Let me make this clear. Whatever debt existed between us, it's paid. I saved your sister. That's done. Don't come to me again. And if I find another one of your people in my home, I'll make you eat their flesh."
No yelling or cursing. Just ice. Pure, deadly ice.
Everyone in the room stilled. Some even held their breath. This was the Mo Yichen they all knew. The man who didn't need to raise his voice to make people shake.
Ye Shu didn't dare reply. Couldn't.
He remembered the favor Mo Yichen referred to. Years ago, he'd donated blood to save Elder Mo during an emergency. It was a small act, but it had earned years of Mo Yichen's protection.
And now, that favor had officially expired.
"Enjoy your evening," Mo Yichen said, brushing invisible dust off his coat. "Put it on my tab. Let's have a real gathering another day, without the parasites."
He turned toward the exit. Then paused at the doorway.
"And one last thing."
"Ye Yutong and I were never a couple. We weren't anything. She's just the sister of a friend. That's all she's ever been."
And just like that, he was gone.
The room was quiet. The party, dead. The whispers, explosive.