Chapter 5: A Dance of Power
The private conference room was chilled, despite the morning sun streaming in through the tinted glass. Bai Xueqing sat at the head of the long obsidian table, her posture straight, her expression unreadable.
Across from her, several board members shifted uncomfortably. Whispers had already begun to spread since her return—some saw her as too young, others wondered what gave her the sudden strength to lead. None dared say it to her face.
Yet among them now sat Mo Chen.
He was not part of the Bai Group. He had no official seat at the table. But he sat beside her, casually, confidently—like he belonged. As if it was his right.
Xueqing had not invited him. But she hadn't stopped him either.
"Before we begin," she said, her voice sharp and clear, "I'd like to address the rumors. I am no puppet, and I will not allow the Bai Group to fall under anyone else's control—not now, not ever."
One of the directors, Mr. Liu, forced a smile. "Of course, Miss Bai. But with all due respect, the proposal to restructure—"
"—was rejected," she cut in coldly. "We will not hand control to outside investors under the guise of 'streamlining.' The Bai family built this company. I will not allow it to be stolen."
There was silence. Then, a slow clap.
Mo Chen.
All eyes turned to him. He leaned back, dark eyes gleaming.
"Well said, Xueqing," he murmured, deliberately using her name without honorifics. "But you'll need more than strong words. You'll need teeth."
She turned to him with an arched brow. "Are you offering yours, Mr. Mo?"
He smiled, slow and dangerous. "I'm offering my entire arsenal."
The board members exchanged glances. Everyone in City A knew Mo Chen. His name opened doors—and closed them forever. Wealthy, ruthless, and untouchable. A man who didn't play by rules but wrote them.
"If you want to keep the Bai Group intact," he continued, "then you need to remind your enemies what fear feels like."
Xueqing leaned back, pretending to consider. In truth, her mind was already racing. She didn't like his methods—but she also couldn't deny the weight he carried.
And worse, a part of her trusted him. A part not born in this life.
"This is a business," she said finally. "Not a battlefield."
Mo Chen leaned in, his voice low and intimate. "Sometimes, they're the same thing."
The meeting ended with her word being final. The board members left unsettled—but obedient. And Mo Chen? He remained.
"You shouldn't interfere," she told him as she gathered her files.
"You looked like you needed reminding," he said, "that you're not alone anymore."
"I didn't ask for you."
"You didn't have to."
---
Outside the room, Xueqing paused, her heels clicking softly against marble. She hated how easily his presence rattled her. But she knew something now.
If Mo Chen had truly returned for her, then this life would be more complicated than she ever imagined.
But she would never surrender.