The light sprinkled upon the shiny and exquisite dresses of the people at the party, surrounding huge circular tables. The small chatters filled the grand luxury ballroom, which was adorned with promotional posters.
The posters were for an omegaverse novel, Taken By My Seductive Alpha, being sponsored by China's number one fashion company, Long Shi Zhuang. Long Shi Zhuang had its roots deep in the entertainment industry.
"Attention everyone! Let's welcome the CEO, Long Yi, who made this event possible today," the host's voice echoed through the hall.
A tall white man with handsome features placed his glass on the table and walked to the stage as claps filled the space. He was wearing a white suit and tie. His elegant and confident steps reflected the respect he held among those present.
He was the CEO of the fashion company Long Shi Zhuang, a billionaire who, instead of taking over his father's business, started his own company. His efforts paid off, and the company rose to the top in just a few years. But that also meant he had to put in even more effort to maintain its position in fierce competition.
This was also one reason he remained single all these years. He interacted with countless models every day but never showed interest, even though many of them doted on him and tried to win him over with countless empty gestures. He was cold and sharp as glaciers, which only made him more mysterious and charming.
He had met with all kinds of manipulative people who would try to drug him, gold diggers trying to plot to get him to bed, even males who tried to seduce him, thinking he might be into men, but he was too hard to approach.
He could see through all of those traps easily and dodged them artfully. But that wasn't enough to make them give up. That's why, recently, he was considering contract marriage, but the fear that contract marriage might backfire was holding him back.
One of his concerns about contract marriage was that his enemies might try to harm his spouse. His enemies were mostly his competitors, but he had an older brother, Long Yao, who also considered him as an opponent. The reason was Long Yi's competence.
Long Yao took over their father's company after his retirement. The company started to go down, and his father suggested Long Yi take over the company. That was a knife to Long Yao's heart.
Although Long Yi rejected his father's decision, he was still a thorn in Long Yao's eyes. Long Yi, on the other hand, had a lot of respect for his older brother.
Long Yi's father wasn't particularly happy with him working in the fashion industry, but he received an immense amount of support from his stepmother.
Long Yi's father got married after his biological mother passed away. Although Long Yi took great care of his stepmother, deep down he wasn't comfortable around her. She was so kind, but she just couldn't replace his biological mother, which led to a heavy, invisible wall between them. But that never stopped his stepmother from loving him. She wasn't able to give birth, which made her so invested in her stepsons, especially Long Yi, who never rejected her kindness, unlike his older brother.
Long Yi climbed the stairs step by step and stood at the podium, expressionless. "Hi, I am Long Shi Zhuang's representative, Long Yi. This launch party holds great meaning to Long Shi Zhuang as it embodies our venture into different fields of entertainment. The novel Taken By My Seductive Alpha will be adapted into a drama soon. I hope everyone will support this project. Thank you so much for coming to this meaningful event," Long Yi bowed as soon as he finished his speech.
He walked back to his seat and looked at the novel's poster, which showed an Alpha pressing an Omega against the wall, his eyes fixed on the Omega's lips. Long Yi found it too cheesy and looked away promptly.
There were a lot of business personnel in attendance, having heard that Long Shi Zhuang was sponsoring the event. Long Yi had to greet them all. During the process, he drank too much. His head felt as heavy as a rock. His chest filled with fuzziness. He signaled his driver, who was standing near the ballroom exit.
"President! Are you okay?" the driver frowned, worried.
"I have a piercing headache. Maybe I drank too much, but it's alright. Just take me back home," Long Yi closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.
"I'll get the car ready," the driver replied and ran out.
In a few moments, the car was on its way to its destination. Long Yi was settled in the back seat. His hand was on his forehead, eyes closed. He felt a vibration on his thigh and opened his eyes. He took out his cellphone and answered the call. "My dear son, congratulations on a new step. You never fail to amaze me with your business strategies," it was his mother. "Yes, Mother. Thank you so much. It's all thanks to your infinite love," he replied with a faint smile, his eyes squinting as he looked out the window at the city lights beyond a thin row of trees. "What are you saying, son? It's all your effort. Just keep in mind that Mom is always supporting your every decision. "Thanks," a faint smile appeared on his face, disappearing in seconds. "See you later.
"See you. Stay safe, my son."
A truck hit his car vigorously as soon as he hung up. The car smashed into a tree and fell down the road. It got stuck between the tree and the cliff, hanging upside down. The driver wasn't moving at all.
Long Yi was still conscious, drenched in blood, as it dripped onto the leaves below, making an ominous sound. His eyes slowly became heavy, and he lost consciousness.