Morning sunlight slipped through the thin curtains of the small apartment.
The place was quiet.
Xu Mengmeng woke up first.
For a moment, she simply stared at the unfamiliar ceiling. The apartment was small, simple, and far from the luxurious places she usually stayed in.
But that was the point.
This was part of the act.
She quietly got out of bed and tied her hair into a loose ponytail. Instead of the sharp and powerful CEO look she usually carried, she wore soft home clothes and an apron.
In the mirror, she looked like a completely different person.
Gentle. Ordinary. Sweet.
Not the Dark Queen who ruled the underworld.
Mengmeng smiled faintly to herself.
"Acting," she murmured.
She walked into the tiny kitchen and started preparing breakfast.
Eggs. Toast. Tea.
Simple food. Something a normal couple might eat.
A few minutes later, the bedroom door opened.
Feng stepped out, still half awake. His hair was messy, and he clearly wasn't used to waking up in such a small place.
But what surprised him was the smell of breakfast.
He looked toward the kitchen.
Mengmeng stood there quietly, flipping an egg in a pan.
She looked… gentle.
Almost too gentle.
"You cook?" Feng asked.
Mengmeng turned slightly and gave him a small smile.
"Of course."
Her voice was soft and calm, completely different from the cold woman he met yesterday.
"We're married now," she said lightly. "Even if it's just a contract."
Feng leaned against the wall, watching her carefully.
Something felt strange.
She moved with elegance.
Her posture was too straight. Too confident.
Not exactly what he expected from someone who was supposed to live a simple life.
Still, he said nothing.
For now.
Later that day, Feng left the apartment first.
"Work," he said simply.
Mengmeng nodded politely.
"Have a good day."
The moment the door closed, the smile on her face slowly disappeared.
Her eyes turned cold.
She walked into the bedroom and opened a hidden compartment inside her bag.
Inside was a black phone.
A phone very few people in the world had the number to.
The screen lit up immediately.
12 missed calls.
A message appeared.
"Boss. Urgent situation at the east docks."
Mengmeng sighed quietly.
"So troublesome."
She picked up the phone and spoke calmly.
"I'm coming."
Night fell over the city.
The quiet apartment building stood peacefully among dozens of similar ones.
Inside, the lights were off.
But Mengmeng wasn't there anymore.
Dressed in a black coat, she moved through the dark streets like a shadow.
Her gentle expression was gone.
In its place was the cold presence people feared.
Within thirty minutes, a black car stopped near the east docks.
Several men were already waiting there.
The moment she stepped out of the car, they all lowered their heads.
"Boss."
Mengmeng walked past them without hesitation.
"What's the problem?"
One of the men spoke nervously.
"Two gangs are fighting over territory. They ignored the rules."
Her eyes turned sharp.
"Did they forget whose city this is?"
The men stayed silent.
A few minutes later, the leaders of the two gangs were dragged forward.
Both looked terrified.
Mengmeng stood in front of them calmly.
"You started trouble," she said softly.
"But this city already belongs to someone."
One of them stuttered, "D-Dark Queen… we didn't know—"
"You didn't need to know," she replied coldly.
"You only needed to remember."
Her voice was quiet.
But everyone there felt the fear behind it.
Within minutes, the conflict ended.
Just like that.
No shouting.
No chaos.
Only absolute authority.
Because when the Dark Queen spoke, people listened.
Meanwhile…
Back at the apartment building.
Feng stood outside the entrance.
He had returned earlier than expected.
But when he opened the apartment door, the place was empty.
The lights were off.
He frowned slightly.
"Where did she go?"
He checked the time.
11:47 PM.
Strange.
The sweet, quiet wife who cooked breakfast didn't seem like someone who would wander outside so late.
Feng walked to the window.
Then something caught his attention.
Down the street, a black luxury car slowly drove away.
For a split second, he thought he saw a familiar figure getting inside earlier.
But that couldn't be right.
Mengmeng was supposed to be just an ordinary woman.
Right?
Feng crossed his arms and looked out into the dark street.
His instincts told him something was off.
Very off.
He smirked slightly.
"Xu Mengmeng…"
"Just who did I marry?"