The air was still and heavy in the small, dimly lit house tucked in the outskirts of the city. A single lamp flickered in the corner, casting long shadows on peeling walls. The silence inside was suffocating, broken only by the slow, rhythmic ticking of the wall clock.
*11:53 PM.*
Bai Zhiqi sat on the edge of the old couch, arms folded, eyes locked on the envelope on the coffee table—one that had changed her world again. She hadn't moved in over an hour.
Her hair was tied loosely, her face pale under the soft light. Dressed in a faded hoodie and jeans, she didn't look like the former prodigy pianist or the elegant socialite of five years ago. But the sharp glint in her eyes remained.
Then—three short, precise knocks at the door.
She didn't jump. She had been waiting.
Rising slowly, she padded barefoot across the cold floor. With a click, the door opened to reveal *Han Su*, Ji Yanluo's ever-calm secretary, dressed immaculately in a tailored black suit. His eyes, hidden behind glasses, scanned her quickly but respectfully.
"Miss Bai," he greeted, tone cool but polite.
"You're here," she replied. "He sent you."
"Yes. I was told to return before midnight, with or without your answer."
"And if I had no answer?"
"I would've waited until you did," he said simply. "But time is not a luxury my employer likes wasting."
Bai Zhiqi glanced once more over her shoulder. The quiet, crumbling house felt colder than ever.
She looked back at Han Su. "Take me to him."
His expression didn't change, but she caught the faintest shift in his gaze. Approval, perhaps. Or maybe recognition.
"Do you need time to prepare?"
She shook her head. "There's nothing here I want to take with me."
He nodded and stepped aside. A sleek black car waited silently at the curb.
Without another word, she stepped out into the chilly night, pulling her coat tighter. She didn't look back.
***
The city glimmered under the midnight sky, alive and distant. Bai Zhiqi sat in the back seat, fingers clutching the seatbelt. She said nothing. Han Su didn't make small talk.
The ride ended in front of a towering building nestled in the heart of the city. No signs, no names—only a steel gate and guards who bowed without question.
The elevator ride was swift, quiet. Her reflection stared back at her in the mirror-polished walls—unfamiliar and hardened.
With a soft chime, the doors opened to a grand yet minimalist space: Ji Yanluo's private condominium.
Cool-toned, immaculate, with floor-to-ceiling windows that framed the glittering skyline. Not a speck of dust. No warmth.
Han Su stepped aside. "He's waiting inside."
She walked forward slowly, heart steady.
He stood by the window, his back to her. Black suit, posture rigid, aura commanding. Ji Yanluo.
He didn't turn as he spoke. "So you chose to come."
She stepped closer, voice even. "Not because I trust you."
"Good." He finally turned, dark eyes meeting hers. "Trust is a currency I don't ask for. Loyalty is enough."
"And what exactly am I loyal to, Mr. Ji?"
He stepped forward, gaze unwavering. "To the contract that begins tonight. And to the man who'll turn your ruins into a fortress—if you're willing to build it with me."
She didn't flinch. "You want a yes? Then here it is. I'm in."
A pause. Then, a small nod. "Han Su will take you to your room. Rest. Tomorrow, everything changes."
Before she followed Han Su down the pristine hallway, she looked back at Ji Yanluo one last time.
There was no softness in his expression. Only a quiet promise in his silence.
Power.
Revenge.
And something darker wrapped in silk.
She smiled faintly to herself.
Let the game begin.