Jian Rui didn't speak right away. He simply looked at her.
Alarna stood with the poise of a woman who knew she had the upper hand—or thought she did. The pitiful expression she had worn earlier had vanished, peeled away like a mask. What remained was something far colder. Sharper. A vixen in silk, calm and calculating. She didn't flinch under his gaze. Of course she didn't. She had spent years perfecting this image.
On Starnet, she was beloved. The angelic guide. She was known for being sweet, brilliant and compassionate. A high-ranking guide with a gentle smile and a flawless record. Her posts were always tasteful, her fans loyal and loud. She was the kind of girl people wanted to protect.
But Jian Rui knew better. He had seen her private information. He knew about the boyfriend she had discarded without warning. The one who had said, bitterly, "She told me I wasn't influential enough. That she had a future planned." She wanted more than love. She wanted legacy.
