The day arrived
The banquet hall of the Grand City Z Hotel shimmered like something out of a dream. Crystal chandeliers poured soft light over polished marble, silver accents gleamed along the walls, and delicate music hummed in the background. It was a world of power and diplomacy wrapped in velvet and champagne.
But nothing in the room held a candle to the woman who had just stepped in.
Xu Meilin.
She walked through the entrance like she was born of starlight,calm, radiant, unassuming, and yet completely impossible to ignore. Her gown was a deep midnight blue, clinging to her slender frame before cascading like water down her long legs. A slit kissed the side of her thigh, not too high, but enough to turn heads. Her back was bare, smooth and pale, framed by the soft fall of her black hair, which curled gently at the ends.
The gown hugged her waist like it had been sculpted onto her, every movement quiet elegance. She hadn't worn the dress to seduce. In truth, she hadn't even thought of how she'd look to others. But that made it worse,because she wasn't trying. And yet, she was devastating.
The room seemed to stop. Conversations lulled. Champagne flutes hovered mid-air. Eyes,everywhere,were on her.
And somewhere near the back, standing by a gold-framed mirror, Li Zeyan's breath stilled in his chest.
He had seen her dressed beautifully before. Polished. Soft. Elegant. But tonight was different.
Tonight, she didn't just look beautiful.
She looked untouchable.
Otherworldly.
And yet, painfully his.
Men watched her. Older CEOs, young heirs, foreign diplomats. Their eyes trailed her like moths drawn to a slow, burning flame. She was grace incarnate, and she didn't even realize the chaos she left in her wake.
Zeyan's jaw tightened.
His glass remained untouched in his hand, his eyes never once leaving her form. The curve of her waist. The gentle sway of her hips. The smile she gave to someone from Xu Holdings,polite, restrained.
He should've been used to this. He should've felt indifferent.
But he wasn't.
And he didn't.
He felt something coil in his chest. Sharp. Irrational. Unfamiliar.
Jealousy.
The realization unsettled him.
Why did he care if men looked at her like that? Why did he want to break every gaze she accidentally caught? Why did he suddenly feel like the room was too full, too loud, too close?
He tore his eyes away, heart pounding.
He didn't like this.
He hated this.
Without a word, he turned and walked away, his long strides carrying him through the side corridor and out to the cool night air of the balcony.
Inside, Meilin didn't notice his absence at first.
She was being ushered toward the drinks table by an assistant from Xu Holdings. A server offered her a glass of orange juice,she never drank at these events,and she accepted it without a second thought.
The moment she brought the glass to her lips, she paused.
There was something strange about the taste. Slightly metallic. Sweet,but not citrus sweet.
A faint warmth spread through her limbs, tingling. She shook her head as if to clear it.
Her heartbeat began to pick up.
She didn't feel drunk.
She felt… hot.
Too hot.
Her skin flushed and her breaths grew shallow, her body unusually aware of every inch of the fabric against her skin. Her fingers trembled slightly as she lowered the glass.
Something was wrong.
A faint panic flickered in her eyes,but she kept her composure. Years of training, of performing for the Xu name, did not crumble so easily.
Still, her body betrayed her. Her legs weakened. The chandelier lights blurred at the edges.
Someone had slipped something into her drink.
And Li Zeyan wasn't by her side.