The prison gates yawned open with a harsh, metallic groan, the sound echoing down the rain-dampened corridors like a warning bell. Fluorescent lights flickered overhead, casting long, pale shadows on the concrete floor. The air smelled faintly of disinfectant and old steel, a place designed to crush dignity.Valerie, secretary to Lisa Liang, CEO of Yaolin Group, walked briskly through the hall. Her stiletto heels struck the ground in sharp, deliberate clicks, the rhythm of a woman on a mission. Her crisp white blouse and fitted pencil skirt made her stand out like a swan among crows, but her expression was rigid, even disdainful. To her, this place, and the man she was about to see, were beneath her boss’s world.A guard led her to the visiting area. The glass partition was streaked with fingerprints and the residue of countless broken stories. On the other side, sitting with an almost lazy elegance in his orange prison uniform, was Maxwell Liang, the man the world thought was just

Maxwell let out a long breath, allowing Feng Victoria to guide him toward the waiting black sedan at the edge of the parking lot. Her driver, a stoic man in a tailored suit, quickly opened the rear door. The sleek vehicle stood out against the grimy surroundings, its polished exterior reflecting the dim light like a jewel in the mud.“You’re reckless,” Maxwell said quietly as she tugged him forward. “Barging past prison guards isn’t exactly subtle.”“Subtle is boring,” she replied with a wink. “Besides, do you really think anyone here would dare stop me?”She wasn’t wrong. Victoria, as the daughter of the Chamber of Commerce president and CEO of Lin Corp, carried power that even seasoned officials hesitated to cross. Yet Maxwell’s expression remained unreadable. He had been among real power, the kind wielded in war rooms and sealed files. Corporate influence was noisy but fragile.As the car door closed behind them, the silence between them thickened. Victoria shifted closer, her pe

Valerie blinked, startled. She’d never heard that tone from her ice-queen boss. “You did what was necessary. A convict, ” She caught herself, biting her tongue. “He would have dragged you down.”Lisa finally looked up, her gaze sharp as glass. “And yet, he never once asked me for anything. Not money. Not favors. Not even understanding.”Valerie hesitated, then said softly, “Sometimes the ones who ask for nothing are the ones who need us the most.”The words lingered long after Valerie left. Lisa stared at the divorce papers, her reflection fractured in the glossy surface, and for the first time in years, doubt slipped past her composure.Far below, on a shadowed street corner, an unmarked sedan idled. A pair of eyes watched the lights of Yaolin Group’s tower flicker. A voice crackled over a secure channel: “Target has made contact with the President. Clearance granted. Phase two begins.”The watcher smirked, turning the key. The engine roared softly, then vanished into the night.Som

The two security guards squared their shoulders, unsure whether to approach Maxwell or wait for further instruction. Stella’s voice was already rising again, shrill with manufactured outrage. Peter, still sprawled on the ground, groaned theatrically, clutching his elbow for effect.Then, cutting through the clamor like a blade through silk, came a cold, clear voice: “Who said he needs to give you money?”The words rang out across the hotel’s polished driveway. Heads turned. A gust of night air swept in as a new figure stepped forward, Victoria, framed by the golden light spilling from the hotel’s entrance.She was breathtaking in her crimson dress, her hair tumbling in perfect waves over her shoulders, a faint smile tugging at her lips. But there was nothing soft in her eyes now. Those bright, mischievous eyes had hardened into something far sharper, something that could cut.Stella blinked, momentarily disoriented by the commanding presence before her. “And… who might you be?”Vict

Peter snagged two glasses of champagne and strolled toward Maxwell with exaggerated casualness. He stopped a few feet away, just close enough for others to overhear. “Well, well. Out of prison and already freeloading off a rich woman? Impressive turnaround, Maxwell Liang.”A couple nearby glanced over. Victoria’s lips curved, not in amusement, but in a dangerous, quiet warning.Maxwell didn’t flinch. His reply was soft, almost bored. “Careful, boy. Your words are louder than your courage.”Peter’s smirk faltered for a split second, but he recovered, laughing too loudly. “Still playing tough, huh? This city isn’t a battlefield. No one here’s impressed by your fists.”The tension threaded tighter. Conversations around them slowed, sensing the shift. Lisa turned sharply at her brother’s voice, her chest tightening. She should intervene, but pride rooted her feet. If Maxwell wanted to play the hero, let him.Victoria took a small step forward, her crimson dress catching the light like f