"Your new assignment," An Guowei voiced, his tone devoid of emotion, as if the girl in front of him was nothing more than one of his lowly subordinates rather than his own flesh and blood.
With crossed legs and an indifferent expression, An Mei Lin slowly shifted her gaze to the file sitting in front of her without moving an inch. Her gaze rested on it for a second before slowly returning to her father.
"How is my mother?" her calm voice reverberated through the quiet room, carrying a chilling yet composed tone.
An Guowei cleared his throat almost immediately. "We'll discuss your mother's health after we've settled all matters regarding this task," his tone was matter-of-fact, making An Mei Lin rage inwardly at how lightly he treated her mother's life.
But of course, she couldn't refute her father's words, so she slowly calmed herself and picked up the file to examine its contents.
An Mei Lin fought hard not to reveal the anxiety slowly taking over her body as she carefully opened the file with steady hands, only to find a document containing a single name. That was it. Nothing else. Just a name. She raised a brow slightly.
All previous tasks her father had assigned to her usually contained detailed information about each target, some even including strict rules and instructions to follow.
So why was this one so bare?
Despite the questions flooding her mind, An Mei Lin didn't utter a single word. Instead, she calmly placed the document back into the file and set it neatly on the desk.
With slow, deliberate movement, she raised her head to meet her father's gaze, her eyes silently demanding answers.
An Guowei let out a quiet sigh as he stared at the girl before him. Her face was calm, almost indifferent. Her gaze reminded him of the proud look her mother used to carry, and the thought made him clench his fist beneath the table. The resemblance only fueled his desire to break that pride.
Shifting slightly in his seat, he cleared his throat and fixed his gaze on her.
"This man," he began, nodding toward the file, "is your next target."
His vague reply made An Mei Lin roll her eyes inwardly. Of course she knew he was the target, but the information was too limited. What exactly was she supposed to do? Spy on him? Kill him?
She had done it before.
For years, she had carried out the dirty work of the An Corporation. It wasn't like she had ever had a choice. She didn't like her life, but there was nothing she could do about it.
As An Mei Lin sat with her legs crossed, countless questions surfaced in her mind, yet she voiced none of them. The last thing she wanted was to give them the satisfaction of thinking they had any control over her, despite holding her mother's life hostage.
"Your target is the heir of the Mu empire, Mu Chen," An Guowei stated flatly.
Before he could continue, a loud shriek cut through the room.
"Why did you have to choose her for this assignment? It's useless, Father. Everyone knows I'm more graceful and charming than she will ever be. And besides, wouldn't it be better to give this task to the real princess of the An family rather than some mistress's daughter?"
An Feifei's voice was shrill as she shot An Mei Lin a gloating look before turning back to their father.
An Mei Lin felt heat surge through her veins as the words settled in her mind. She wanted to respond, badly, but the last thing she would do was give An Feifei the satisfaction of knowing her words had an effect.
Her expression remained calm.
Even as she felt the sharp glares being thrown her way.
She frowned slightly.
'Who is this man that has her so worked up?'
'What's so important about him?'
'Why is she suddenly so interested in this task?'
From what she could remember, her half-sister had never shown interest in any assignment before. She spent her days shopping and attending parties, never having to lift a finger.
So why now?
Her mind filled with questions, yet her face revealed nothing. She remained composed, not sparing An Feifei a single glance.
"Feifei, this task is important. It's only proper to let your sister handle it. After all, she has been trained for this and is more than suited for it."
An Guowei spoke calmly, though there was a faint hint of persuasion in his tone.
His words did nothing to appease An Feifei. She scoffed and muttered under her breath, clearly displeased.
Ignoring her, An Guowei turned his attention back to An Mei Lin.
A cold sneer formed within him before he continued, "Although Feifei is right, her looks are more graceful and charming and could move anyone's heart, our target has only shown interest in you."
'Interest in me?' An Mei Lin's brows furrowed slightly.
A slow wave of heat rose within her chest.
'What kind of man is he?'
'Some disgusting old pervert?'
'Is he planning to sell me off ?'
As the seconds passed, An Mei Lin found herself growing more uneasy.
Just what was her father planning this time?