The Cheng family mansion rose ahead like a palace large, extravagant, pretentious. Just like the people who lived inside.
Tall white columns framed the entrance, marble statues lined the driveway, and gold-trimmed windows shimmered in the afternoon sun. The whole estate screamed of wealth and ego.
Cheng Xiao stared at it with a cold expression.
Five years ago, she entered this house with hope.
Today, she returned with fire.
Beside her, Ming Hao drove slowly up the long circular driveway. His expression was unreadable, but his fingers drummed lightly on the steering wheel.
"You're awfully quiet," he said.
"I'm mentally arranging the order in which I will destroy people," she replied calmly.
"Ah." Ming Hao nodded thoughtfully. "Alphabetical or emotional severity?"
"Emotional severity," she answered.
"Good choice."
The car rolled to a soft halt right in front of the massive double doors. At once, housemaids peeked from behind curtains like nervous rabbits.
Ming Hao switched off the engine.
"You ready?" he asked, glancing at her.
"I was born ready."
"And you look good doing it," he added lightly.
She didn't bother responding. She opened the door and stepped out, heels clicking against polished stone. The sound echoed like a warning the kind that made hearts skip for all the wrong reasons.
The front doors burst open.
And out came the three people she hated most.
Cheng Hong her father.
Cold, stiff, a man who pretended to be righteous but sold out his own daughter to protect his reputation.
Dai Lihua stepmother.
Always smiling sweetly, but her words were poison.
Cheng Meilin the treasured stepsister.
Fake tears, fake innocence, fake everything.
Cheng Hong marched forward, face red with fury.
"How dare you return without notice?!" he shouted. "Do you know how much trouble you've"
But he didn't finish.
Because Ming Hao stepped out from the driver's side.
Silence.
Complete silence.
Dai Lihua's jaw dropped. Meilin's knees wobbled. Cheng Hong's anger evaporated into fear.
Everyone recognized him.
Not as a businessman.
But as the heir of the Ming family, one of the wealthiest and most powerful families in the country.
"Mr. Ming…?" Cheng Hong stuttered, suddenly polite. "W-Why are you"
Ming Hao adjusted his cufflinks. "Driving."
"Driving? D-Driving who?"
Ming Hao pointed lazily. "Her."
Their eyes snapped to Cheng Xiao.
At that moment, she decided to attack.
"Good afternoon," she said sweetly. "I heard someone here has been using my name to play the victim. Thought I'd drop by and offer… clarification."
Dai Lihua forced a stiff smile. "X-Xiao'er, we were so worried"
"No, you weren't," Cheng Xiao said. "You were celebrating."
Gasps from the maids.
Dai Lihua's smile twitched like a dying fly.
Meilin stepped forward, hands shaking. "S-Sister, I never meant"
"Don't call me sister," Cheng Xiao said sharply. "I'm not related to you. Thank God."
Meilin froze.
The face-slapping had begun.
Ming Hao leaned casually on the car, watching with amused interest as if she were the main attraction at a theater he paid for.
Cheng Hong finally regained his voice.
"You have five years of explanation to give"
"No," she cut in. "You have five years of apology to give."
He sputtered. "Apologize?! To you?!"
"Yes," Cheng Xiao said. "For throwing me out without evidence. For believing lies. For choosing convenience over truth."
Her gaze sharpened. "For failing as a father."
Smack.
This time, it was verbal.
And it hurt worse than a physical hit.
"You ungrateful"
"Ungrateful?" she laughed. "I lost everything because of your stupidity. Freedom. Reputation. My entire life."
She took a step closer, eyes burning.
"And yet you dare call me ungrateful?"
Cheng Hong opened his mouth, but no words came out.
Cheng Xiao smirked. "Thought so."
She turned slightly. "Let's begin."
Everyone blinked.
"Begin… what?" Meilin asked nervously.
"Your downfall," Cheng Xiao replied. "Since you enjoy performing lies, why don't we pull up the script?"
She snapped her fingers.
On cue, Ming Hao opened the back door of the car and pulled out a black folder. He handed it to her with theatrical flair.
"Your documents, Miss Cheng."
"Thank you."
She flipped it open dramatically.
Cheng Hong paled. "W-What is that?"
"Oh, just ownership papers," Cheng Xiao said casually. "Turns out, before she died, my mother left me 40% of the estate property and 70% of the company's private shares."
Chaos.
Dai Lihua shrieked. "What?! That's impossible!"
"Is it?" Cheng Xiao handed her the paper. "Your forged documents hid the truth. Unfortunately for you, I had someone smarter than you decrypt everything."
Her eyes flicked toward Ming Hao.
He winked.
The maids behind them covered their mouths to hide smiles.
Cheng Hong snatched the papers, scanning them desperately. His hands shook.
"This… this can't be real…"
"Oh, it's real," Cheng Xiao said. "And legally verified."
"How did you even"
"Connections," she said. "Money. Skill. The things your precious Meilin lacks."
Meilin burst into tears. "Father, she's trying to steal everything!"
"Steal?" Cheng Xiao laughed coldly. "You stole my life. I'm just reclaiming what was mine."
And then she switched tactics mafia intimidation.
She clasped her hands behind her back and walked up to Meilin slowly. Step by step.
Meilin backed away until her back hit the wall.
Cheng Xiao leaned in, whispering softly, "If you ever use my name again… I will break everything you care about."
Meilin whimpered.
"And if you ever lie publicly again…"
Cheng Xiao tapped the wall beside her head, making the girl flinch violently.
"I won't use words next time."
Meilin nearly collapsed.
Dai Lihua hurried to pull her away. "You're threatening us?!"
"No," Cheng Xiao said. "I'm promising you."
Then she turned to Cheng Hong.
"And as for you… here."
She tossed another document at him.
He caught it clumsily and unfolded it.
His face turned dead white.
"What… what is this?"
"Your debt," Cheng Xiao said. "The one you've been hiding from the board. The one that will bankrupt Cheng Corporation if I expose it."
Dai Lihua screamed. "How did you get this?!"
"Again. Connections."
Ming Hao stretched his arms lazily, looking bored. "She has excellent connections."
Cheng Hong's voice trembled. "What… what do you want?"
Cheng Xiao smiled beautifully.
"I want you to remember who you betrayed."
She leaned closer. "And who you should fear."
The entire mansion fell silent.
No maid dared breathe.
No bird dared chirp.
Even the wind seemed to pause.
Cheng Xiao stepped back, brushing imaginary dust off her coat. "That concludes today's entertainment."
She turned to leave.
But Meilin suddenly shouted, "You think you can just walk back into our lives and ruin everything?!"
Cheng Xiao stopped.
Slowly turned around.
And smiled.
It was a terrifying smile.
"Meilin," she said softly. "I haven't ruined anything yet."
She paused.
"But I will."
Meilin stumbled backward.
Dai Lihua held her protectively.
Cheng Xiao walked to the car, every step powerful, confident, dangerous.
Ming Hao opened the door for her.
Cheng Xiao raised a brow.
"You're doing this again?"
"Of course," he said. "It annoys you."
"Very," she said, climbing in.
"Perfect," he replied.
He went around and sat in the driver's seat. Before starting the engine, he glanced at the trembling Cheng family standing at the doorway.
"Next time," he warned, "don't touch my people."
The engine roared to life.
The Cheng family flinched.
The car pulled away from the mansion, tires whispering against the stone driveway.
As they reached the gate, Cheng Xiao finally exhaled and leaned back in her seat.
"How do you feel?" Ming Hao asked.
"Like I just warmed up."
He smirked. "Good. Because this was the easy part."
She glanced at him. "You're enjoying this far too much."
"Watching you scare the life out of your enemies? I could do it every day."
Cheng Xiao rolled her eyes. "You're impossible."
"You're welcome," he said.
She looked out the window, the mansion shrinking behind them.
Her voice was calm.
"That was only the beginning."
Ming Hao nodded. "Of course. You're the Black Rose, after all."
She smiled, cold and beautiful.
"Time to bloom."
TO BE CONTINUED…