That night, with the father and son's secret plot, Wang Xiong's plan for Xia Ling became more concrete.
…
Late at night, another sleepless night for me.
Recalling the events of the day, especially the image of Xia Ling being humiliated by Wang Xiong and his gang in the underground parking lot, kept flashing through my mind. It felt like a heavy stone was pressing on my heart, my chest felt so tight I could hardly breathe.
I found myself inexplicably dragged out of bed and walked barefoot out of my room.
The door to Xia Ling's study was ajar, warm yellow light filtering through the crack, casting a soft glow.
I tiptoed over and peeked inside.
Xia Ling was sitting behind her large desk, the lamplight casting a soft glow on her busy figure. She wore a black silk nightgown, the neckline revealing a glimpse of her beautiful collarbone. Her long, slender legs were encased in sheer black stockings, shimmering in the light. On her feet were beige slippers, perfectly encasing her alluring feet.
Suddenly, the screen of my phone on the desk lit up; the ringtone of a WeChat call shattered the night's tranquility.
Seeing the name displayed on the screen, Mom's captivating phoenix eyes widened slightly, a flicker of resistance and helplessness crossing her gaze. Her long, slender fingers tapped lightly on the table, as if hesitating whether to answer. Finally, she took a deep breath and pressed the answer button.
"Hello, Sister Xia!" Wang Xiong's flippant voice came through the phone, carrying a nauseatingly greasy tone, "Tomorrow at noon…"
Mom coldly interrupted him: "What did you call me?"
Perhaps emboldened by Captain Li's visit earlier that day, her tone was clearly impatient and disgusted.
Wang Xiong on the other end of the line visibly paused, then let out a forced laugh: "Oh, isn't this just being friendly…" He paused, then continued, "By the way, tomorrow at noon, how about we go to that coffee shop downstairs in your Lingya Building? I've been there before, the atmosphere is nice, perfect for us…" He deliberately drew out the words, "…private message."
I stood outside the door, able to clearly hear Mom's suppressed breathing.
She subconsciously rubbed her thigh, encased in stockings. From my angle, the black stockings on Xia Ling's legs gleamed alluringly in the dim light, making her legs appear even more perfect.
"I've been very busy at work lately, tomorrow..." Xia Ling tried to refuse in her usual CEO tone, but Wang Xiong interrupted her before she could finish.
"Oh, very busy?" Wang Xiong's tone suddenly turned cold. "Then I'll really talk to Susan from the Hera Group about Zhang Ming's matter." He paused, his voice laced with threat. "Also, my dad's club was raided by the police. That's a significant loss. Sister Xia, don't say you didn't do it."
This news was clearly unexpected even for Xia Ling.
Captain Li's actions were so swift; he had just left our house and immediately raided Wang Xiong's father's club.
"I..."
Xia Ling hesitated, then ultimately chose silence.
"What do you mean, 'what do you mean, 'what do you mean'?" Wang Xiong's voice was full of sarcasm and a hint of threat. "Sister Xia, I say every day I'll release the evidence, but when have I ever actually done it? And you, you come here with something big right away. My dad's club will be closed for a while; how are you going to compensate for this loss?"
Xia Ling remained silent for a long time, finally saying in a low voice, "Fine, I'll go."
Her voice was soft, but still carried a trace of unyielding stubbornness.
"That's right, Sister Xia," Wang Xiong chuckled smugly, his tone laced with flirtatiousness. "By the way, remember to wear a skirt with stockings tomorrow. Those nude stockings look pretty good today, so wear those with a short skirt." He paused, his voice suddenly becoming suggestive. "Oh, and by the way, Sister Xia, I can't sleep. How about we video chat? Just to see your beautiful legs…"
"You!" Mom's voice trembled with anger, but she managed to suppress her rage as she said, "Wang Xiong, don't go too far."
"Oh, Sister Xia, I'm not going too far," Wang Xiong said with a grin. "Just one look, then I'll go to sleep. Or, should I call Susan now?"
The sound of Wang Xiong dialing came from the other end of the line. Mom quickly said, "Wait!" She took a deep breath. "…Okay."
Soon, the video call request notification sounded.
Mom stared at the flashing answer button on the screen, her slender fingers trembling slightly. She adjusted the lamp's angle, ensuring the light shone just right on her, before clicking "Accept."
"Wow, Sister Xia, you look absolutely stunning tonight! Look at your legs!"
Mom bit her lip, slowly focusing the camera on her legs encased in black stockings. Under the lamplight, the stockings gleamed softly, highlighting her long, beautiful legs.
"Tsk tsk tsk, as expected of Sister Xia, those legs are absolutely gorgeous." Wang Xiong's voice was filled with lewdness, then suddenly, as if he'd discovered something, "Hey Sister Xia, wearing black stockings so late, did another man come by earlier? I remember you were wearing flesh-colored stockings during the day."
I saw Mom's body stiffen visibly, her teeth clenching her red lips, her fingers trembling slightly.
Wang Xiong's voice grew increasingly lewd: "Could it be... that you wore this especially for me?"
"Enough!" Mom suddenly raised her voice. "Wang Xiong, I've already agreed to meet you tomorrow. Now, please have some self-respect."
"Why is Sister Xia angry? I already touched your pussy in the parking lot today... Sigh, fine then." Wang Xiong said with a smirk, "See you tomorrow then. Remember to wear stockings and a short skirt. I'll be waiting, hehe..."
After the video call ended, Mom slumped into her chair, her long legs crossed listlessly. Her carefully applied makeup remained perfect under the lamplight, but her eyes were filled with exhaustion and helplessness.
I stood outside the door, watching all this, my heart aching. The powerful businesswoman who never bowed to anyone was now being forced to satisfy the unreasonable demands of a nobody like Wang Xiong. This stark contrast filled me with immense anger and heartache.
"Xiaowei, aren't you asleep yet?"
Mom suddenly spoke, her gentle voice breaking the silence of the study. Clearly, she had already noticed me standing in the doorway.
She gracefully rose from her desk and slowly walked towards me.
Every step she took carried the air of a CEO, yet also revealed a softness I had never seen before. A gentle smile curved her lips, as if trying to dispel the gloom in my heart.
I entered the study, gazing at Mom's delicate face, my voice trembling slightly: "Mom, don't go see him..."
"Silly child," Mom took another step closer, her black stockings outlining the perfect curves of her legs in the soft study light. She gently stroked my cheek, her eyes filled with maternal tenderness. "Mom's alright, Mom will protect you."
At this moment, Mom, usually decisive and strong-willed, showed me a rare tenderness, which only made my heart ache even more.
All of this is because of me. If it weren't for my mistakes, how could Xia Ling have been humiliated by Wang Xiong time and time again?
I hate Wang Xiong, but I hate my own cowardice even more.