I pull in one shallow breath after another. I remembered Neil saying that Aren had a lot of enemies, but I used to think of them as business competitors, not people who literally wanted him dead! "I thought that your mother committed suicide," I said nervously, feeling my body start to tremble. "They made it look that way." A painful grimace surfaced on his face. I raised my eyebrows, processing his words. "They?" He locked his eyes on me. "There were at least a few people involved in it. My father might be one of them." I gasped. The deadliest form of crime that I'd had contact with was hacking and stealing data, but Aren lived in a world full of killing, conspiracy, and true wickedness. Only now did I realize that compared to Aren's, my computer world was angelically safe. "My head starts to spin..." I muttered, my body shivering even more. Aren corrected his grip on my hand and pulled me close, his arms wrapping around my body. "You're trembling. You should have taken a scarf
Aren didn't question my decision. He only smirked and called Marcus. Thirty minutes later, we were in the car on our way to the airport, dressed in hurriedly chosen dry clothes."Here, wear this. Your hair is still damp." Aren handed me a baseball cap."Thank you," I replied with a faint smile.Those little things that proved that he cared made my heart warm. I used to dream about lovers' connection that I read about in romance books; a naïve dream of a freshman taking her first step into the land of relationships. I ended up giving my all and receiving little to nothing in return. I wanted to protect my heart against Aren, but at the same time, I had a feeling that Aren appreciated me more than my asshole ex-boyfriend ever did. I kept wondering whether I could remove the romantic feelings from the equation and accept Aren's offer. Was it a matter of my immaturity to think that I could fall in love and be loved? Perhaps it was time for a calculated compromise. Perhaps it was safer tha
The commotion filled the entire room. People looked at me as if I was some kind of witch, casting a spell over their innocent souls."I disagree!" the IT specialist who reported the situation exclaimed. "Someone definitely attacked our system from the outside! If the files were copied or deleted during work hours, we would have noticed it almost immediately! It couldn't be an inside job!"His sudden agitation startled me. He was all tense, glaring at me with his grey deep-set eyes while nervously combing his ginger hair with his fingers. I wondered if I accidentally stepped on his ego…"Yes, Davies is right!" A young man sitting next to him patted his shoulder in encouragement.I sighed, exhaling my growing annoyance, and glanced at Aren. My husband-to-be looked back at me with a hint of a smirk, urging me to prove my point."I never said that the files were stolen by someone while he or she was in the company, but the hacker needed an accomplice, someone who put a bug into the system
I had to admit that eating pizza with Aren in his super-fancy office was a peculiar experience. If anyone could ever look glamorous and captivating while shoving a pizza triangle in their mouth, it would be Aren. I had no idea how he pulled that off, but I should have expected that much. After all, his aura of dominance was as strong as ever, even when he was wearing a pair of jeans and a casual shirt instead of his elegant suit.He insisted that I go home, but I said that I wanted to stay in the company and go through the surveillance footage with him and Mr. Clark. I was swaying on my feet, but it was also the most exciting and challenging event I had ever been a part of. There was no way in hell that I would have missed it. Of course, I couldn't say it in front of Aren. I bet that he found nothing exciting about dealing with the huge number of problems that this hacker attack had caused...After I firmly stated that I wasn't going anywhere, Aren finally agreed for me to join the mo
I couldn't believe the luck I had! If Davies had used any other computer, no camera would have been able to catch him. Of course, Davies could deny that he had anything to do with the hacker's attack, but the facts spoke for themselves—he was the mole. I was certain that knowing which computer had gotten infected first, I could match the exact second the spyware had been downloaded, and I bet it would match the time mark on the video footage. I couldn't help but be crazily excited. For the first time in my life, I was using my skills and my intelligence for something that mattered. I loved that feeling of being useful...I strode through the Lan Diamond Corporation's entrance like a general going home after a victorious battle. I was armed with my laptop and tablet, and I wouldn't hesitate to use them against the one trying to steal from my contract fiancé. Neil greeted me as I passed the sliding glass door and stepped into the corridor. He led me to the back of the interrogation room
The date was set. In two days, I was about to meet Callan again. I wished I could have had more time to prepare for meeting him, but I was also aware that it was going to happen soon."I'll be by your side, and I will make sure nothing bad is going to happen," Aren assured.I smiled, trying to fake my composure, but the truth was, I was terrified. Perhaps I should feel more comfortable having to hold Aren's hand while facing my dreadful ex. Aren was definitely hotter and wealthier than Callan, and I was nearly certain that he was a better man in every aspect. Still, my anxieties were there, slowly consuming my rationality. Nonetheless, it was Monday, and I had other things to focus on. We had to set a trap for a hacker.Mr. Clark, Neil, Aren, and I sat together in the office and worked up a plan to provoke the one who invaded the system into another attack."We have to keep Davies in hiding for some time, whether he likes it or not. Officially, he will be on vacation while we prevent
"Welcome to Lan Diamond Tower," I said, greeting Alan and Norton as they walked through the revolving door. Norton stepped in while tightly clutching his laptop in both hands, his eyes carefully roaming around the place. He was wearing a sage green suit; it looked surprisingly good on him. Unlike Norton's, Alan's strides were more confident, his expression slightly carefree, but even he decided to respect some of the dress-code aspects and added an elegant jacket over his smugly casual ripped jeans and T-shirt. I led them to our new workplace, which was directly one floor below Aren's office. I had no idea how they managed to prepare a place for us in one day, but my guess was that it had to be Neil's work. The place was filled with light, spacious, and furnished perfectly for three unconventional employees. There were desks with high-quality equipment on them and super-ergonomic office chairs to increase our work comfort, but there were also two soft couches and cocoon-like swing ch
"You are loud." I flinched at hearing Aren's hoarse mutter."H-how…?" It was the only part of the question I could mumble in panic.Aren lifted his upper body, supporting his weight with a bent elbow, his eyes narrowed from sleep. "How... what?""How did I end up here... like this?!" I looked at him wide-eyed, my heart pounding.Aren sighed, a faint smirk curving his lips. "You fell asleep."A wave of heat flooded me, a juicy blush surfacing on my cheeks. How could that happen? I wasn't drunk. I had barely drank two glasses of champagne. Fine, I was exhausted, but how could I fall asleep in the middle of… Oh, God…"And… why are you…?""Why am I here with you?" He finished my question. "I also need to sleep." He shrugged, glancing at me with increasing amusement."B-but..." I breathed, desperate to find a way out of this embarrassing situation.A huff of irritation escaped his throat. A second later, he hooked his arm around my waist and pulled me close. I barely registered how I found
I didn't answer Aren right away. I held my poker face still, resisting the urge to smile. I waited until the smug smirk slowly left his mouth, enjoying every second of his uncertainty. "Say it again," I said. He raised his eyebrows questioningly. "Will you marry me?" His confusion made my lips gently curve. "Not this, but your words before that." "I love you." He grinned, reaching for my hand. "I love you." He took out the ring from the box and put it on my finger. It fitted perfectly. "I love you," he breathed, leaning closer and placing a gentle kiss on my chin, on my cheek, and my lips. I wish I could say that it was a perfect, romantic moment, but my hormones ruined it all by making me cry again. He chuckled softly, sitting beside me and pulling me onto his lap. He kissed every tear away while gently stroking my hair with his fingers. "I want you forever as my wife. Nod if you agree," he said, giving me the sweetest smile I saw on his face. Of course, I nodded. It was much e
I had been dreaming about this moment for the last five months. No. Scratch that. I had been having nightmares about this moment. From the moment I found out that I was pregnant, there wasn't a single day I didn't think about how I was going to tell Aren. Initially, I wanted to call him immediately. This situation was changing everything between us. I grabbed the phone while tears flooded my eyes. I picked Aren's number... and I froze.The baby I had growing inside my belly would become the future heir of the Lan family. This meant that as soon as I told anyone, I would become the future mother of the future heir... Chills ran down my spine. Would I be forced to live in Shanghai and become nothing more than Aren Lan's wife? I instantly felt nauseous, and not only because I had morning sickness. Something was crushing my chest, and I was scared. I was terrified. And then later, what if someone decided that I wasn't the best mother for my child and would take my child away? I knew that
It'd been over six months since Cora walked out the door of the Lan family mansion. That day was the last time I saw her, the last time I felt her, and the last time I could focus on anything. From that moment, I had been merely existing, surprising myself each time I got up to see another morning. Funny, isn't it? The cold son of the bitch who wasn't supposed to have a heart was suffering from agonizing heartache. If Nanny Mei Lien had seen me like this, she would have called me pathetic.Since my Mother died a little after I was born, Mei Lien was the only parent figure around me. James Winton most likely wanted me to die as well, but Mei Lien did everything she could to keep me safe. She contacted my Grandfather on her own and begged him to grant me and her his protection. He refused. He was soaked with hatred for the daughter who betrayed him, and it was only natural that he would hate that daughter's son as well. It's ironic that right before the daughter whom he hated died wishe
I started packing the second I walked into our room. Aren looked at me, shocked. Within a heartbeat, he surged between me and my suitcase. "What are you doing, sunshine?" His steady voice had a rough edge painted with anxiety. "I'm going back to New York. I had already booked a plane on our way to the mansion." I tried to keep my tone composed, but every piece within me was shaking. He huffed nervously. "When are you coming back to Shanghai?" His eyes darkened; he knew what I was going to say. "I'm not coming back," I muttered, lowering my gaze. "Sunshine... don't..." He shook his head, pain and desperation surfacing in his features wildly. I brushed away the tears that had uncontrollably fallen down my cheeks. "Give me a reason why I should stay?" I pushed him away from my suitcase and continued packing. "I know that I'm selfish, but I can't lose you." His voice was soft, nearly cracking. Before I knew it, his arms were wrapped around me, and I surrendered to the warmth of his b
I had trouble eating dinner, and it had nothing to do with my two broken fingers. I couldn't swallow a single piece of food, feeling that every bite got stuck in my throat. Afterward, I went to Lan Jing's office for a private conversation. I was pissed, and with every second that had gone by, I found it more difficult to hide my anger. I had known that Aren would have to be in Shanghai to take over Lan Wang Corporation, but we were going to discuss the details together! I had never even considered moving to Shanghai and staying here permanently!The few friends I had, all lived in New York. My Grandma stayed in the clinic in New York. My life was in New York. I loved Aren, but I had only just begun to truly cherish the place where I lived, and I didn't want to move somewhere else, no matter how beautiful and extraordinary Shanghai was. It wasn't about the language, because I would gladly learn it, but I would do it for myself. I helped Aren with his revenge, and it seemed to me that h
I was not a killer. I'd always considered myself a good person. I had a high set of moral standards, and I had never thought that there would be a day when I would point a gun at someone, thinking that he deserved to die. Still, I couldn't take away his life... But I wanted him to suffer. I aimed at his right shoulder. Adrenaline sharpened my senses, making me more focused than I had ever been in my whole life. The oddly funny fact was that I had problems with hitting the target board, but I knew exactly where the bullet would hit the second I pulled that trigger.Caishen growled in pain, the knife held in his right hand falling to the ground. "You bitch!" he yelled, stomping my way.I shot again, this time aiming at his thigh. The second bullet made him collapse. I watched him fall to the ground, his hands reaching to press the wound on his leg. I smirked coldly. I must have hit an artery since he was bleeding out fast. None of those shots were lethal, but they were enough. He lost.
My husband was two feet away from me. He was covered in blood, but all I cared about was that the blood wasn't his. His eyes carried an explosive mix of emotions. There was fear, guilt, relief, need, longing, pain, anger, and an unrecognizable form of warmth. He stood still, as if he was waiting for my permission to come closer, to touch me, to embrace me. Seeing him near me and not feeling his skin against mine was almost unbearable. My whole body craved him. I could finally breathe because he was close. I spread my arms open, invitingly. It only took a heartbeat for him to encircle me in a tight hug, allowing me to melt into his muscular frame. I breathed in his scent like it was a remedy for all the physical pain."I missed you so much," I mumbled, shedding a wide stream of tears.His hands delicately traced up and down my back as if he was afraid to hurt me. "I'm sorry, sunshine... I'm so sorry." He breathed heavily in between leaving soft kisses on the crown of my head. "I was so
The alarms went off. I could see the red lights flashing rhythmically as Caishen dragged me through the corridor. This time I didn't even dream of running away. I was circled by Max and the group of guards who watched me closely, tensing each time one of my legs swayed as if it was a signal of me trying to run away. I tried to memorize the route but then decided that it was useless since I didn't even know where the exit was. Nonetheless, I'd noticed something before: there were no windows. My suspicions were confirmed as I was pushed into the elevator. We were on the underground floor—Level -3, and the elevator went down to Level -5.Once we left the elevator, I saw more armed men, running somewhere and securing certain areas. Then I heard very distant gunshots. My heart started to pound with a new beat. Aren might have been getting closer. The sole thought made my body warm."Get in," Caishen hissed, throwing me into a raw, almost unfurnished room. "You will wait here until it's all
Caishen's peel of laughter told me that I could breathe again. I emptied my lungs in one hectic exhale. The gun's barrel was still touching my temple. My hand was trembling. I blinked my eyes, slowly realizing that there was no bullet in the chamber. Caishen clapped his hands, visibly entertained that I decided to risk my life, playing his sick game. I hated him. I hated him for making me choose between my life and the lives of the criminals standing around me. It would have been easier if I had lost my moral values and had given up on respect for human lives, but it was something I could never do. Certainly, I believed that there were deviants in this world that didn't deserve to live, but if I was their judge, I would rather grant them hell on earth than send them to hell myself."Are you trying to become a saint, my dear?" Caishen laughed as he snatched the gun from my hand. "We are surrounded by meaningless people. Their lives don't matter. They will always be workers, not creator