Sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains of the master bedroom, casting a soft glow over the tangled silk sheets. Shen Qingyi stirred slowly, her body pleasantly heavy with the remnants of last night's gala and the even more memorable ride home in the Rolls-Royce. Lu Beichen's arm was draped across her waist again, his breathing deep and even against the back of her neck. The man slept like a predator—still, silent, ready to strike at the slightest disturbance.
She turned carefully in his embrace, studying his face in the morning light. In her past life, she had never allowed herself to see him clearly. Lu Beichen had always been the unreachable iceberg—polite, distant, signing divorce papers without a flicker of emotion when she demanded them. Now, up close, she noticed the faint scar along his left eyebrow, the sharp angle of his jaw that could cut glass, and the way his lashes cast shadows on his cheeks. He was devastatingly handsome, and he was hers.
A small, satisfied smile curved her lips. *Mine to spoil with, and mine to use for revenge.*
Her movement must have woken him. Lu Beichen's eyes opened instantly, dark and alert, locking onto hers with that unnerving intensity. No grogginess, no slow awakening—just immediate focus, as if sleep was merely a tactical pause for him.
"Regretting your demands already, wife?" His voice was rough with sleep, sending a shiver down her spine. The hand on her waist tightened, pulling her closer until her bare leg brushed against his.
Shen Qingyi propped herself up on one elbow, letting the sheet slip just enough to tease. "Not even a little. Last night was perfect. The looks on their faces when security dragged them out… priceless. But today, I want more."
He raised a brow, one hand sliding up her back in a slow, possessive stroke. "More spoiling? Or more blood?"
"Both." She leaned down and kissed the corner of his mouth, tasting the faint salt of his skin. "You promised to take me to Shen Group offices this morning. I have some unfinished business there. Documents. Accounts. The will that stole everything from my parents. I want to see it all—and I want you by my side when I rip it apart."
Lu Beichen's expression didn't change, but his eyes gleamed with approval. "Bold. The Shen board still thinks you're the weak little niece they can push around. Walking in with me will send a message louder than any press release."
"Exactly." She traced a finger down his chest, feeling the hard muscle beneath the thin fabric of his pajama top. "And afterward, I want you to spoil me again. Lunch at that rooftop restaurant you own. The one with the view of the entire city. Then shopping. I need a new wardrobe if I'm going to be the face of the Lu empire."
A low chuckle rumbled in his throat—the first real laugh she had heard from him in either life. It was dark, rich, and addictive. "You learn fast, Qingyi. Most women would be satisfied with diamonds and a gala. You're already negotiating empires before breakfast."
"I'm not most women," she whispered, straddling his hips in one fluid motion. The sheet pooled around her waist. "I died once chasing the wrong man. This time, I choose the right one. So spoil me rotten, Mr. Lu. Make me so pampered that no one dares look at me sideways."
His hands gripped her thighs, fingers digging in with just enough pressure to mark. "Careful what you wish for. I don't do anything halfway. Once I decide to indulge you, the entire city will whisper your name with envy. And your enemies will choke on it."
The kiss that followed was slower than last night's—deeper, more deliberate. Lu Beichen rolled them so she was beneath him, his weight a delicious cage. For long minutes, the world narrowed to the heat of his mouth, the strength of his hands, and the promise in every touch. When he finally pulled back, both of them were breathing harder.
"Get dressed," he ordered softly, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "We leave in an hour. And wear something that says 'I own this city now.'"
---
An hour later, the black Maybach rolled to a stop in front of the Shen Group headquarters—a sleek glass tower that had once symbolized her family's legacy. In her past life, Shen Qingyi had been banned from the top floors after her parents' funeral. Today, she stepped out on Lu Beichen's arm, dressed in a tailored white pantsuit that screamed power and femininity. A string of flawless pearls rested at her throat, and her heels clicked confidently on the marble lobby floor.
Heads turned immediately. Receptionists froze mid-call. Employees whispered behind hands.
"Mrs. Lu? With Chairman Lu?"
"Isn't she the one who was supposed to marry Zhou Ming?"
Security moved to block them out of habit, but one look from Lu Beichen and they parted like the sea. The elevator ride to the 28th floor—the executive level—was silent except for the soft ding of passing floors. Shen Qingyi's hand stayed linked with his, drawing strength from the steady warmth.
The doors opened to chaos.
Shen Xin stood at the head of the long conference table in the boardroom, surrounded by uncles, aunts, and senior executives. She was mid-speech, waving a document dramatically. "—and with Qingyi's unfortunate instability, it's clear the shares should remain under my control until—"
The words died in her throat as Shen Qingyi and Lu Beichen entered.
The room went deathly quiet.
Shen Qingyi smiled sweetly, stepping forward while Lu Beichen hung back like a shadow of doom. "Cousin Xin. Uncles. How nice to see you all planning my future without me. Again."
Her second uncle, Shen Liang, recovered first, puffing out his chest. "Qingyi, this is a private board meeting. You have no authority here. Your parents' will clearly states—"
"Does it?" Shen Qingyi interrupted, voice calm but edged with steel. She pulled a USB drive from her purse—the one she had "miraculously" remembered from her past life's hidden files—and slid it across the polished table. "Let's review that will, shall we? Along with the autopsy reports I had re-examined last night. And the financial trails showing how millions vanished from the company right before my parents' car 'accident.'"
Gasps rippled through the room. Shen Xin's face turned ashen. "You're bluffing. Those reports were sealed—"
"Not anymore." Lu Beichen spoke for the first time, his voice cold enough to frost the windows. He didn't raise it. He didn't need to. Every executive straightened like soldiers under inspection. "My legal team accessed them at 3 a.m. this morning. Interesting reading. Forged signatures. Tampered brakes. And large transfers to an account in Miss Shen Xin's name."
Shen Liang sputtered. "This is outrageous! Lu Beichen, you have no jurisdiction over Shen Group matters!"
Lu Beichen's lips curved in the barest, most terrifying smile. "I do now. My wife holds 35% of the shares through our marriage contract—shares your family conveniently 'overlooked' when they rewrote the will. And as of 8 a.m. today, I've acquired another 20% on the open market. That makes Mrs. Lu the majority stakeholder."
The room erupted.
Shen Xin slammed her hands on the table, eyes wild. "You can't do this! Zhou Ming and I—we have plans! The wedding—"
"Canceled," Shen Qingyi said flatly. She walked around the table until she stood directly in front of her cousin. Up close, Shen Xin looked smaller, cheaper, despite the designer clothes. "You stole my parents' lives. You stole my future. You injected poison into my veins while I lay dying. Did you really think I'd let you keep playing house in *my* company?"
Shen Xin's voice cracked. "It was just business! You were weak—"
"I was kind," Shen Qingyi corrected, voice dropping to a lethal whisper. "Now I'm not. Effective immediately, you're fired. All of you who voted to sideline me are under investigation for embezzlement and conspiracy to commit murder. Security will escort you out. And cousin… enjoy the police waiting downstairs. They have questions about that syringe."
Two teams of black-suited men—Lu's private security—flooded the room on cue. Protests turned to shouts, then desperate pleas. Shen Xin tried to lunge at Shen Qingyi, but Lu Beichen moved like lightning, stepping between them and pinning her cousin with a single icy glare.
"Touch my wife," he said softly, "and you won't live long enough to see the courtroom."
Shen Xin shrank back, tears smearing her mascara. As she was dragged away, she screamed over her shoulder, "This isn't over, Qingyi! Zhou Ming will ruin you both!"
The boardroom emptied in minutes, leaving only silence and the faint scent of expensive fear.
Shen Qingyi exhaled slowly, leaning back against the table. Adrenaline sang in her veins. The first real strike felt intoxicating.
Lu Beichen turned to her, his expression unreadable. Then he closed the distance, cupping her face with both hands. "You did well. Cold. Precise. No mercy."
She searched his eyes. "You're not… disturbed? By how quickly I moved?"
"Disturbed?" A rare, genuine smile touched his lips—small, but real. "I'm impressed. Most people talk about revenge. You execute it before breakfast. It makes me wonder what else you're hiding, wife."
For a heartbeat, she almost told him everything—the rebirth, the death, the syringe. But it was too soon. Trust was a bridge she had to build carefully.
Instead, she rose on her toes and kissed him, pouring every ounce of triumph and gratitude into it. When they broke apart, his forehead rested against hers.
"Thank you," she whispered. "For standing with me."
"I told you," he replied, voice low and rough. "Once I start spoiling you, there's no stopping. This is only the first company I'll hand you on a silver platter. Ask for more, and I'll burn the rest."
They left the Shen tower together, the entire building buzzing with rumors. By the time they reached the rooftop restaurant Lu Beichen owned—Le Ciel, with its panoramic view of A-City—the news had already broken online. Headlines screamed:
**"Lu Beichen Takes Control of Shen Group for Wife – Board Members Escorted Out in Handcuffs!"**
**"From Rejected Fiancée to Power Couple: Shen Qingyi's Stunning Comeback!"**
Over lunch—foie gras, truffle risotto, and a 1982 Bordeaux that cost more than most cars—Lu Beichen watched her with new intensity. "You're glowing," he observed, refilling her glass himself. "Revenge suits you."
"It does," she admitted, savoring the wine. "But it's not just revenge. It's taking back what's mine. And having you here… it makes it sweeter."
He reached across the table, lacing their fingers. The gesture was shockingly intimate for a man known for his emotional frost. "Then keep asking. Dresses. Cars. Companies. My time. My name. They're all yours. But in return…"
His thumb stroked her knuckles, sending heat curling low in her belly.
"In return," he continued, voice dropping, "you stop hiding. Tell me the real reason you changed overnight. Because the woman who begged for divorce six months ago isn't the same one burning empires today. And I want all of her."
Shen Qingyi's heart stuttered. He was too perceptive. Too dangerous. But the warmth in his touch made her want to lean in instead of pull away.
"Soon," she promised, squeezing his hand. "When I'm sure you won't think I'm crazy. For now… just spoil me a little more. Take me shopping after this. I want something red. Something that says 'I survived death and came back richer.'"
Lu Beichen's laugh was quiet, but it warmed her from the inside. "As my wife commands."
The afternoon dissolved into a private shopping spree at the city's most exclusive boutiques. Designers pulled out limited editions just for her. A blood-red evening gown with a thigh-high slit. Diamond-encrusted heels. A custom handbag with her new initials—S.Q.L.—embroidered in platinum thread. Lu Beichen paid for everything without glancing at the totals, his credit card blacker than night.
At one point, while she twirled in front of a mirror in the red gown, he stepped behind her, hands on her hips. Their eyes met in the reflection.
"You look like sin," he murmured against her ear. "And you're all mine."
Shen Qingyi leaned back into his chest, feeling the solid strength there. "Then keep sinning with me, husband. Because tomorrow, I want to go after Zhou Ming's company. His family's construction empire has dirty contracts. I have the evidence. Help me bury him?"
Lu Beichen's grip tightened. "Consider it done. But tonight…" He turned her in his arms, kissing her slow and deep in the middle of the boutique, uncaring of the stunned staff. "Tonight, I spoil you in private. No more talk of enemies. Just you, me, and the way you taste when you're winning."
She melted into the kiss, the red gown whispering around her legs.
In her past life, victory had been a cold floor and a final breath.
In this one, it was diamonds, power, and the CEO of her dreams pulling her closer with every heartbeat.
And the best part?
The real war had only just begun.
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