The light in the penthouse had shifted,afternoon sun streaming in through the tall windows, casting long, golden lines across the dark wood floors.
Xu Meilin sat curled into the corner of the couch, wrapped in the quiet stillness of the room, a book in hand,but her eyes hadn't moved down the page in ten minutes.
She was waiting.
The knock came precisely at 2 p.m.
Zeyan looked up from his desk.
"Come in."
Shen Rui entered, composed as always, a file in one hand and tension in his eyes. He gave a nod toward Meilin, who slowly set her book aside, straightening.
"It was targeted," Shen Rui said, no preamble, placing the folder on the table.
Zeyan stood.
Shen Rui opened the folder, revealing several printed photos and documents.
"The waiter who served the orange juice wasn't from the hotel staff. Forged ID. Temporary hire through a fake catering group that dissolved within twenty-four hours. No trace of payment, no digital trail. Classic ghost setup."
Meilin's stomach tightened. "So it wasn't random."
"No. It was timed," Shen Rui said, flipping to the next page. "He waited until Mr. Li walked out of the hall. Then delivered the drink. It was a precise window."
Zeyan's expression didn't change,but Meilin saw it in his eyes.
The shift.
Cold fury.
"Who hired him?" Zeyan asked.
"We don't have a direct link yet," Shen Rui admitted. "But the name that keeps coming up is Bai Mingzhu."
Meilin blinked. "The younger Bai daughter? She's Shen Aiyue's friend."
Zeyan's gaze darkened. "She's also the one who tried to attach herself to L&Z's Beijing negotiations last year. And failed."
Shen Rui nodded. "She's ambitious. And subtle. Always working behind other people."
Meilin frowned. "So she wanted to cause a scandal? With me?"
"More than that," Shen Rui said. "If the drug had taken full effect in public,if someone had filmed it, shared it,your image would've been destroyed. Rumors would've followed. Headlines. Li Zeyan's wife collapsing, moaning, incoherent at a diplomatic event? It would've been enough to question your place beside him. Enough to replace you."
Zeyan's hands clenched.
His voice was dangerously calm.
"Replace her with who?"
Shen Rui looked away. "Possibly Shen Aiyue."
A heavy silence fell.
Zeyan spoke again, low and cold.
"Send a message."
Meilin looked at him, surprised. "What kind of message?"
He didn't answer her directly.
Instead, he told Shen Rui, "Silently. Cut all ties to Bai-affiliated logistics. Freeze their proposals. Pull the legal strings on their Hong Kong project,quietly, but firm."
Shen Rui nodded once and left without a word.
As the door clicked shut behind him, Meilin whispered, "Zeyan…"
He looked at her,eyes still hard. Controlled.
But when she stepped closer and reached for his hand, he didn't pull away.
"You're not a chess piece," he said softly. "You're not leverage. You're mine. And anyone who forgets that… will regret it."
She met his gaze.
There was something terrifying in his calm,but comforting, too.
Because it was the first time he'd claimed her out loud. Not as a business transaction. Not as a duty.
But as his.
And this time, when she held his hand tighter, he didn't let go.