The morning sun seeped into the room, forcing its way in through the little holes left by the curtains.
Shen Linyi stirred slightly. She had gone through a rollercoaster yesterday—from being betrayed, to dying to being reborn, and the richest man asking her to marry her.
She felt a headache coming on, and it didn't help when her phone constantly buzzed.
She snapped her eyes open in irritation. Frowning, she reached for it. Dozens of notifications lit the phone. Missed calls, several urgent text messages, and headlines flooding the news feed.
She clicked on the first headline, and read through it. Her gaze turned cold instantly.
CRISIS AT SHEN GROUP: CEO SHEN LINYI TO SIGN OVER ASSETS
Another one flashed, and she clicked on it, reading it.
ZHOU YUANFENG IN TALKS WITH BOARD MEMBERS AMID SHEN GROUP TURMOIL
Her blood froze, and she sat upright without hesitation, scrolling rapidly. Every major outlet carried the same story: Shen Group was unstable, its heiress incompetent, and whispers of Zhou Yuanfeng stepping in as savior were spreading like wildfire.
He had made his move? Already? Her heart pounded. He wasted no time. He was finally showing his real color. It seemed desperation had finally seeped into his bones.
Just as she was processing the articles, her phone rang. It was the secretary again, her voice urgent and trembling.
"Miss Shen! Investors are pulling out. The board… they're questioning your decisions. Zhou Yuanfeng is already calling an emergency meeting this afternoon!"
Shen Linyi closed her eyes, fury surging through her veins. Zhou Yuanfeng was playing the same game all over again. He wanted to corner her, strip her of everything, and leave her with nothing but despair.
But this time, she clenched her fists, her voice cold and steady. "Tell the board not to move until I arrive. I'll handle this personally."
After the call ended, another one came in.
The phone lit up brightly—Zhou Yuanfeng!.
Her brows creased in anger. Hasn't he done enough? Why was he calling her? She thought to herself.
She suppressed her inner rage, and picked the call.
"Linyi," Zhou Yuanfeng started with his sickly sweet tone which made her want to puke. "Did you see what is on the news?" He asked gently.
"I did," she replied calmly, though her fingers clenched by her side.
"I don't know who is bold enough to go against the Shen Group." As if assuring her, he continued. "But you don't need to worry, with me here, nothing can go wrong."
Then carefully, he said. "You just need to sign over the ownership of Shen Group to me, and see how I take it to greater heights."
Shen Linyi bit her lips which prevented her from lashing out at him. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her raging blood.
"We will discuss when we get to the company." She said, pausing for a while. "I can handle this matter."
She disconnected the call, leaving Zhou Yuanfeng stunned.
Shen Linyi walked to the huge mirror, and stared at her reflection. She took several breaths before muttering. "Dad, Mom, I won't let anyone destroy your hard-earned empire... never."
It was a silent vow.
-----------------
Amidst the buzz outside, Shen Linyi calmly stepped into the Shen Group. She had her head held high as her heels clicked against the marble floor.
Although she had a blank expression on her face, her hands which were in her coat tightened.
As she walked to the elevator, she heard whispers from the employee.
"Miss Shen loos tired."
"I agree with you. The news from the media is enough for one to be tired."
"At least, she has Mr. Zhou. If I were her... I'd sign over ownership to him."
"You are right. Mr. Zhou pampers her a lot."
All these whispers naturally fell in her ears, but her expression didn't change. Only she knew how much of a snake Zhou Yuanfeng was. She wasn't about to make the same mistake she made previously.
A few minutes later, she reached the board room—just in time to hear Zhou Yuanfeng's assuring voice. She pushed the door open without hesitation, and all heads turned to her instantly.
Zhou Yuanfeng immediately put on a smile as he walked to her.
"Linyi, you must be exhausted," he directly held her hands. "Come, have a seat." He led her to the table, and even thoughtfully pulled out a seat for her, smiling at her warmly.
He turned to the board of directors with a practiced smile on his face, saying, "Linyi has been under a lot of pressure. As her fiancé, I think it's best if I temporarily handle the contracts and finances. She can focus on her health."
Several directors nodded,agreeing with his words. Shen Linyi calmly swept her gaze over every single one of them. Greedy and only cared about the benefits... those were their characteristics.
"Linyi, what do you have to say?" Zhou Yuanfeng turned to her with a smile as though he was confident she'd agree.
Shen Linyi rose to her feet, a chilly smile on her face.
"The Shen Group belongs to the Shen family. It will never fall into the hands of… outsiders." She declared strongly.
Silence immediately fell into the room.
Zhou Yuanfeng's face turned red with anger, but he quickly masked it with a gentle smile. "Of course. I only meant to help. Right, Linyi?"
She looked at him, her eyes glinting with undisguised disdain. "Your concerns are unnecessary."
Turning to the board members, she continued firmly. "I already have a plan to stabilize the Shen Group. You don't need to worry."
The directors exchanged surprised looks, some nodding in approval. Zhou Yuanfeng kept his smile, but inwardly sneered. He knew she was bluffing.
After the meeting, Shen Linyi returned to her office, her heels clicking against the polished floor. Once the door closed behind her, her composure finally cracked.
She leaned against the desk, clutching the edge with trembling fingers. Her declaration in the boardroom echoed in her mind.
"I already have a plan…"
But the truth was, she had nothing. No plan, and mo allies. She had only herself.
Her phone buzzed on the desk, jolting her from her thoughts. Frowning, she picked it up.
A message from an unknown number lit the screen:
[When you're ready to stop pretending you don't need me, call.]—GLS
Her eyes froze on those three letters.
Gu Liansheng.
Her breath hitched as her grip tightened around the phone. He had anticipated this. He has expected this
Was this fate pushing her toward his trap? Or… was this her only chance to fight back?