Zeke kept his eyes on the road, his tone measured and calm. Jessica's question told him she was very much suspicious of him and if he doesn't give her a good answer, he might get busted. "I've always been a competent person, Miss Baker," Zeke answered. "I study. I learn new things. I discipline myself. It's a talent.""Bullshit," she snapped, her eyes flashing. "We met two days ago. Yet you knew everything about me. My habits, my bath temperature, my dinner proportions, my pillow firmness, even my skincare routine."She raised her voice even higher. "It's as if you'd been preparing for me for months. That has never happened. Not once, in three hundred servants. I don't believe it's all a coincidence."Zeke shrugged slightly. "Look, I'm just trying to make your stay pleasant. I can't explain it myself. I'm just like that, I guess." He paused, steering the conversation away from himself. "Shouldn't you be more concerned about your audit at Zhao Dynasty tomorrow? That seems like a mor

Jessica’s hand flew to her stinging cheek. She stared up at Zeke, her eyes wide with a shock so raw it left her petrified. “How dare you,” she whispered, her voice shaky and filled with venom.Zeke’s frown deepened, eyes cold enough to freeze blood.“Tell them the truth,” he said dangerously.Jessica's dam of fury broke. Her voice rose to a shrill shriek. “You son of a bitch! I’ll kill—”SLAP!Zeke slapped her again, harder this time. The sound was like ice breaking. Her head rocked back.Gasps erupted from the doorway. Servants backed away as if lightning had struck.“I won’t ask a third time,” Zeke said, his voice low and calm. “Tell them the truth, or I’ll expose you.”“ZEKE!” Zhao Long roared, finally finding his voice. He surged forward, face mottled with rage and terror. “Have you gone completely insane?!”Zeke didn’t turn. He simply raised a hand, halting his father-in-law but his eyes never left Jessica’s. “Stay out of this, Zhao Long. This is between Jessica and me.”A dar

Zhao Long’s throat tightened.He had hoped and prayed that with Jessica’s schemes exposed, the leverage would fall to him.That Russell would back down, embarrassed, ashamed, even apologetic.But instead, the man doubled down. And now Zhao Long was slammed with an ultimatum. He either hand over Zeke and secure the once-in-a-lifetime oil contract. Or he protect Zeke and lose his family’s only door into the oil sector forever.For the first time in his life, Zhao Long's conscience became conflicted violently.Yes, he had loathed Zeke from day one. If the circumstances were different, if there was no scandal, no evidence, no risk; he would’ve handed that boy over wrapped in a bow and personally delivered him to Russell’s rage-filled hands.But Zeke had saved them.If Zeke hadn’t recorded Jessica, if he hadn’t exposed her, the Zhao family would be destroyed by dawn.Russell wouldn’t have cared. He would’ve burned them all to the ground.And then there was Mei.Mei adored Zeke so much. If

The room fell into a heavy, breathless silence. Jessica’s confession lingered in the air like smoke—raw and painful.No one dared to move. No one dared to speak.Russell Baker stared at his daughter as though he was seeing her for the first time. He had never seen this side of her before. “Jessica…” he whispered under his breath.But before he could say more, something unexpected happened.Mei stepped forward, matching right up to Jessica.Jessica squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself for a slap across the face.Her breath trembled.But instead, she felt warm arms wrap around her in an embrace.Jessica’s eyes snapped open in shock.Everyone gasped.Even Zhao Long, who stood stony-faced moments ago, blinked as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.Russell froze with his mouth slightly open.Jessica stood stiff in Mei’s arms.“M-Mei?” she whispered.Mei tightened the embrace.“You know the thing I hated the most about you?” she murmured, her voice gentle. “You always bottle up y

The weekend getaway turned out to be far more extravagant than Zeke expected. The “venue” Marilyn had chosen was a mid-sized luxury cruise ship—large enough to host a wedding, but small enough for an exclusive weekend getaway. The ship wasn't setting sail into the open sea. It was a short voyage where the ship would drift a few feet from the shore, circling the coastline, then returning by sundown each day. Mei tightened her fingers around Zeke’s arm as they stepped aboard the ship. At the entrance stood Marilyn, the hostess herself—draped in a sparkling rose-gold dress that screamed ‘I must outshine everyone here.’ Beside her was her daughter, Margie, who wore a pale expression. Like someone who was forced to be there. As Zeke and Mei approached, Marilyn’s face lit up with a fake smile. “Oh, Zeke! You made it. And I see you brought Mei with you.” Mei stepped forward. “It's a pleasure to meet you,” she said warmly, opening her arms to offer a polite greeting hug. But Marilyn