The invitation to the Galaxy Yacht Club felt like it was burning in my fingers. Made of pure gold foil, it bore the Lu family crest—gleaming
"Mi
Inside was a black diamond necklace, the central stone cut into a rare six-pointed star, shimmering with an eerie blue glow under the lights. My breath caught. This was unmistakably the concept model from the Dark Night S collection I had designed in my past life—never
"How could he possibly h
A note lay at the bottom of the box:"Thermal conductivity tes
I pressed the gem to my lips to test it. In less than a second, it absorbed my body heat. It was real. There were fewer than ten black diamonds of this quality in the world.
"W
The woman in the mirror wore a dark crimson mermaid dress. The black diamond around her neck looked like a frozen drop of midnight. I matched my lipstick to the dress and double-checked the items in my clutch: a lipstick-shaped camera, a perfume bottle with an embedded microphone, and the micro signal jammer Zhou Yuchen had given me.
"You look stunning," my father said from the doorway, his expression conflicted. "But do you really have to go? The Lu family..."
"That's exactly why I must go," I said, adjusting the necklace. "Don't worry. Zhou Yuchen will be there."
I regretted it the moment the words left my mout
My father raised an eyebrow. "You and the Zhou family's second son…"
"Purely business," I cut in quickly—though the warmth rising in my ears betrayed me.
The Galaxy Yacht Club loomed at a private dock, its three decks lit up like a floating palace. As I stepped onto the red carpet, I felt dozens of eyes pinning me in place. From the crowd, Marcus Lu approached swiftly, dressed in a white suit that highlighted his broad
"Sophia, tonight you look…" His eyes landed on the diamond at my neck. His expression tightened. "This necklace…"
"Just a replica," I said with a smile. "The r
"Miss Harrison, you're f
Lin Yura, her arm looped through Marcus's, wore a silver gown that slithered over her body like venom. "I heard your family barely survived its financial crisis. Such…luck."
I ignored the barb. "Thanks to Marcus, actually. His tip about Director Zhang was very helpful." I smiled at him sweetly, watching his face stiffen. "Oh, by the way, Miss Lin, do you know a Mr. Li Jin? He seems quite... familiar wit
Lin Yura spilled her cha
The ballroom shimmered with light from a grand crystal chandelier. Guests sipped champagne, l
"Not a fan of alcohol?" Zhou Yuchen appeared beside me, dressed in a tailored black suit. His shoulders seemed broader than I remembered. He handed me a glass of orange juice. "Try this?"
As our fingers touched, a current ran up my spine. "Thanks. What's on the low
"Casino. Wine cellar…" He leaned closer,
"What is?"
He smiled. "Dance with me. Marcus is watching."
Tango music swelled on cue. Zhou Yuchen's hand slid to my waist, pulling me onto the dance floor. His lead
"You don't dance like a jewelry design
"And you don't dance like a spoi
He chuckled, dipped me low, and as my hair brushed the floor, whispered:"At nine sharp, Mr. Lu w
The music ended. Zhou Yuchen bowed and vanished into the
I checked my watch. 8
At 9:00, right on cue, Mr. Lu sta
"H
"Mo
Mr.
"Your cufflinks are loose," I said, using the moment to examine them. Blue sapphires. Inside was an engraving—half a lotus. The same symbol
The butler pulled me away, his eyes wary. Mr. Lu's breathing steadie
"You're Su Zhiyuan's daughter?"
"Yes, Mr. Lu."
He sneered. "And how's your mother?"
My blood turned to ice. She van
"Sh
A flicker of some
As they wheeled him
"Well played." Marcus appeared
"Occupational hazard," I said coolly. "Designers are trained to notice details."
His gaze dro
"Do you like it?" I turned, letting him see the back
A r
Marcus's expression relaxed. "There's
Jus
"So generous, Mr. Lu," said Zhou Yuchen, flipping through the card. "Oh? Isn't this the lot of Burmese relics stolen three years ago?"
Marcus's face darkened. "Ridiculous!"
"Just a joke," Zhou Yuchen said, sm
On the terrace, t
"Saving you." Zhou
I froze. "What?"
"The Lu family is choosing their ne
In the women's restroom, I plugged the USB into my phone. Dozens of missing persons reports filled the screen. All the victims owned sapphire jewelry. The last file made my hands tremble—it was my mother. A photo of her wearing the sapphire lotus brooch.
So th
At 9:25, I slipped away. The lower deck was dim, filled with faint, disturbing noises. I followed the sound to a door labeled "Stora
Inside was a man,
"Help…me…" he croaked.
I rushed t
"They… forced me to sign…" he gasped. "Behind you!"
I spun, stun gun raised—only to find Zhou Yuchen, hol
"Five minutes early,"
"You knew he was here? Why not call the police?"
"No pr
Director Zhang gripped my wrist. "Tell your fath
"What'
Before he could answer, footsteps echoed in the hall. Zhou Yuchen switched off the lights and pulled me into the shadows. A flashlight swept across the room.
"Strange. Th
When it was safe, Zhou Yuchen knel
"They're…the key…"
Then he convulsed
"Poison
We watched him
"Let's go. The body'll be discov
Back at the part
"They killed him…" I muttered. "Because we'
He gently wiped my lips wi
I took a deep breath, fixe
Then a short-haired woman in a tailored suit approached. "Ms. Harrison?" She handed me a card. "Chen Mo. Freelance jewelry designer. I'm very interested in your Rebirth series."
Her eyes were oddly familiar. The design portfolio on her table
"I'm lo
Zhou Yuchen stepped in. "Marcus is com
Chen Mo slipped into the crowd. "I'll visit Su's tomorrow."
When Marcus arrived, I
"
"My pleasure," he replied, kissing my hand—but his eyes ne
On the drive home, I finally told my father everything. About Zhang's death. About the sapphire lotus.
He wept. "I always susp
That night, I couldn't sleep. At 3 AM, my phone buzzed.
Zhou Yuchen: Look out
Downstairs, he leaned against a black Mercedes, holding tw
"Can't sleep?" H
"You know where I live?"
"I know a lot," he said quietly. "Like how you bite pencils when you design. How thunderstorms scare you. And…"
He turned t
"…how you died. Before you came back."
The cup nearly slipped from my ha
"You heard me." His eyes gleamed in the moonlight. "Marcus pushed you, didn't he? Just
The wind turned icy. I wrapped my arms around myself.
"Why…why tell me?"
"Because I died, too." His v
Sirens wailed in the distance. Bir
Two