The early morning light spilled across the bedroom as Wu Mei slowly stirred, her body still wrapped in the warmth of the night before. The scent of Qin Yanzhou lingered on her skin and in the sheets beside her, but when she reached over, his side of the bed was empty.
She sat up, brushing her hair back from her face. A small note rested on the pillow:
Had to leave early for the CEO event . I'll be home by evening. Don't skip lunch. – Yanzhou.
Her lips curled into a soft smile. She rose from bed, stretched languidly, then prepared for the day. After slipping into a cream-colored dress and tying her hair into a loose bun, she decided to go shopping. A light day for herself. After all, it wasn't often that she had a moment of peace.
But peace, as she would soon learn, was never meant to last.
Across the city, in a sleek black car that snaked its way toward the upscale shopping district, Wu Mei browsed her phone. The streets were buzzing, the sky cloudless, and her thoughts were miles away—until the car stopped abruptly.
The door flung open.
Two men in black masks yanked her out of the vehicle before she could scream. A cloth covered her mouth, the sting of chemicals making her vision blur.
Darkness swallowed her.
When Wu Mei awoke, the first thing she felt was the cold wind biting into her skin. She was tied at the wrists, lying on the rough stone ground of a cliff that overlooked a churning body of water below.
Her heart thundered in her chest. She tried to move, but ropes bound her tightly.
A familiar voice cut through the air.
"You thought you could just live happily ever after, didn't you?"
Liang Yue stepped into view, dressed in a pale pink coat, her face twisted in a mask of loathing.
Wu Mei's blood ran cold.
"You don't remember anything, do you?" Wu Mei spat. "In our past life, you killed me."
Liang Yue blinked, visibly confused. "What nonsense are you talking about? This life... that life... you sound crazy."
Wu Mei shook her head. Of course. She didn't remember.
"Don't worry," Liang Yue sneered. "After today, no one will remember you. And I'll finally be free of your shadow."
She turned to the thugs standing behind her. "Make sure she disappears. But have your fun first."
Wu Mei's heart stopped. Her body tensed with dread.
The men approached.
Desperation kicked in. As they reached for her, she screamed, kicking back hard enough to knock one of them off balance. She scrambled upright, her wrists still bound, and ran.
The edge of the cliff loomed.
She heard them shouting behind her.
Without a second thought, Wu Mei threw herself off the edge.
Qin Yanzhou's car skidded to a halt near the cliffs.
He had arrived late from his summit, and when his assistant told him Wu Mei never returned from shopping, a gut-deep dread overtook him. His security team tracked the last signal from her phone here.
He watched the tracker of her phone and saw where she is.Qin Yuanzhou without thinking up in the car and watched where the phone was.
Once he arrived there he saw Wu Mei and ....
Mei!!!
He rushed to the cliff's edge, eyes wide with terror. The kidnappers stood stunned, staring down after her.
"Get them," Qin Yanzhou ordered.
His men moved like shadows—fast and merciless. Within seconds, the thugs were pinned to the ground, their cries drowned by fists.
Yanzhou didn't wait. He tore off his jacket, dove over the edge, and into the icy water.
She was sinking.
The cold stole her breath, numbing her limbs as she tried to fight her way to the surface. Her lungs burned.
And then—
Strong arms wrapped around her, dragging her up, up—until light pierced the water and she broke the surface, gasping.
"I've got you," Qin Yanzhou whispered.
They reached the shore. He pulled her onto the sand, cradling her shaking body as she coughed violently.
"You're okay. You're safe."
She looked up at him through wet lashes. "You came."
"Always."
Back at the penthouse, the warm water of the bath soothed her trembling limbs. Yanzhou sat beside the tub, never once taking his eyes off her.
After she was dressed in his oversized shirt, he tucked her beneath the blankets, sliding in beside her.
She curled into him. "I was so scared. I didn't know if I'd survive."
His jaw tightened. "Those men... they'll rot in prison. And your stepsister—she won't get near you again."
His hands slid over her waist, drawing her closer. She tilted her head up to look at him, her breath catching at the fire in his gaze.
„You jumped to protect yourself but what if you will die, I couldn't imagine my life without you"
„Promise that you will never do that, and if you want to go shopping I will come with you,please promise me this"
And Wu Mei spoke „ ok I promise you" but deep down she know that she will have to resolve this problem with her stepsister alone because this way she will get revenge by her own.
Qyn Yuanzhou did not think about it and took her in his arms and he carried her to the bedroom again, laying her down gently. His lips trailed along her jaw, her neck, down to her collarbone.
"Mine," he whispered.
Her fingers tangled in his hair as he moved lower, his hands worshipping every inch of her. He unbuttoned her shirt slowly, deliberately, revealing the soft curves beneath.
She gasped as his mouth moved to her chest, her stomach, her hips. He kissed away the pain, the fear, until all that remained was heat and want.
His voice was rough with emotion. "Let me remind you what it feels like to be cherished. To be safe."
And that night, beneath the warmth of the blankets and the weight of his body, he did just that.