---
Dizziness.
Darkness.
That was the first thing Su Meilin felt when she slowly regained consciousness.
A heavy, suffocating darkness that made her feel like she was buried in a tomb.
Her limbs were sluggish, her body ached in places she couldn't name, and her throat burned like fire.
For a moment, she panicked—her breath catching in her chest.
Then she remembered.
The drug. Eric's cruel eyes. William's chilling laughter as they set up the camera.
Her body trembled as the images slammed into her mind. Her stomach twisted violently. Had they—?
No. She remembered masked figures bursting into the room. A gunshot. Eric's shout of rage. William's frightened scream. Then—nothing.
She blinked rapidly, trying to adjust to the low light of the room.
She was lying on a soft mattress, wrapped in a thick comforter.
The room wasn't cold, but she still felt chilled to the bone.
Just as she was about to sit up, the door creaked open.
A tall man stepped in. He wore a sleek black mask that obscured his face, only his sharp jawline and piercing silver eyes visible under the dim light.
His presence was calm but commanded authority.
He paused at the doorway and looked at her.
"You're awake," he said, voice deep and smooth like silk against steel.
She stared at him, fear and confusion mixing in her chest.
He walked a few steps closer. "Relax. You're safe now."
She didn't respond immediately, only gripped the edge of the blanket tighter.
Her voice was hoarse when she finally spoke, "Who are you? Why did you save me?"
The man chuckled softly, a strange amusement flickering in his eyes. "No need to worry about that now."
Before she could question further, he snapped his fingers. Three women entered the room, dressed in tailored black uniforms.
They bowed slightly and one of them said gently, "Miss, please come with us."
The man gave her one last look. "Get dressed. Our Lady wants to meet you." Then he turned and walked out with measured steps, disappearing behind the heavy door.
Su Meilin sat there, stunned, as the maids approached. They helped her into a marble bathroom, where warm steam filled the air.
She let them wash away the scent of fear and sweat clinging to her skin, scrubbing gently but efficiently.
After the shower, they dressed her in an elegant black dress that hugged her figure modestly, then applied light makeup and handed her a pair of sleek red heels.
—
When she stepped out of the room, her breath caught.
The marble floor stretched wide beneath her feet, polished until it reflected the chandeliers above. Twin staircases spiraled down from the upper levels, their golden railings gleaming.
Paintings—bold, abstract, and haunting—lined the walls.
Masked men in black suits stood at silent attention, as if statues had been placed there for decoration.
"Miss, this way," a calm male voice called.
She turned to see a man in a crimson suit approaching.
He too wore a mask, though his bore a faint gold design on the left cheek.
Without speaking further, he turned and began to descend the staircase.
With hesitant steps, she followed.
Every step she took seemed to echo louder than the last. Her heart beat faster with each turn of the grand staircase.
The hallway below opened into a high-ceilinged living room with a central chandelier that looked like cascading crystal vines.
Velvet curtains draped the windows, and the walls were dark mahogany.
Su Meilin swallowed.
She had always thought the Su family was wealthy.
Her grandfather held influence, and her engagement to Liang Yexuan had only cemented her status in the upper circle.
But this—this was something else.
She was sure she could get lost in the mansion alone and never be found again.
Then she saw her.
Seated gracefully on a white leather sofa, legs crossed, was the most beautiful woman Su Meilin had ever seen.
She looked almost otherworldly.
Pale skin that glowed like porcelain, long jet-black hair tied into an elegant twist, and crimson lips curved into a knowing smirk.
A cigar rested between her fingers, the smoke curling around her like a ghostly halo.
Her gaze was sharp. Dangerous. The kind of beauty that made you afraid to breathe in her presence.
Su Meilin had never seen anyone so striking.
When the woman saw her, she smiled slowly, then snuffed the cigar in a golden ashtray.
Her heels clicked as she stood and walked toward her and Su Meilin felt her knees weaken.
"Sit."
Her voice held a faint accent—European, perhaps?
Su Meilin sat on the edge of the couch, back stiff, eyes wide.
The woman walked to a glass cabinet in the corner and pulled out a bottle of dark wine.
The room had no clutter—everything was minimalistic, almost cold. The chandelier light cast angular shadows across the tiled floor.
"Breakfast?" the woman asked, pouring the wine into a thin crystal glass.
Su Meilin shook her head quickly. "I'm not hungry."
As if on cue, her stomach growled loudly. Su Meilin blushed furiously.
The woman laughed, a rich, sultry sound. "Your stomach says otherwise."
She then nodded toward a man who disappeared silently.
Moments later, three kitchen staff arrived, wheeling in trays of food—fresh fruits, eggs, toast, dumplings, porridge, and tea.
The smell was too much to resist.
"Eat," the woman said, lounging elegantly and sipping her wine. "Then we talk."
Su Meilin hesitated, looking at the glass of milk on the table.
The woman noticed. She laughed again. "It's not poisoned, little rabbit. You think we saved you just to kill you?"
Heat rushed to Su Meilin's cheeks as she picked up the fork. She ate slowly at first, but the hunger overtook her.
When she was done, the kitchen staff collected the trays and disappeared.
The woman placed her wineglass down gently. The silence that followed felt weighted.
"My name is Laetania," she said finally.
Su Meilin looked up. "Why did you save me?"
Laetania shrugged lightly, smirking. "Maybe we just wanted to. Maybe we like saving pretty girls."
But her eyes were too sharp, too amused.
"You don't seem the type," Su Meilin murmured.
Laetania smirked. "Perceptive. I like that."
She leaned forward slightly. "You're Liang Yexuan's fiancée?"
Su Meilin stiffened, her face paling. "I... I—"
Laetania chuckled. "You don't have to answer. That face says everything."
Su Meilin looked down, fingers curling into the hem of her dress.
"We don't want anything from you. Not right now," Laetania said, exhaling slowly.
Su Meilin's heart pounded. "No..."
"I'm not asking you to betray him. I'm just asking you to keep us... informed. Let us know what he's doing."
Her opened her mouth, then closed it. Her heart was thudding more, almost painfully. "No... I... I can't—"
Laetania interrupted, voice still calm. "Don't say no so fast. Think about it. You're hesitating... Why? Because of loyalty?"
She leaned in closer. "That man doesn't love you. You know that, right?"
The words hit Su Meilin like a slap.
She wanted to scream that it wasn't true, but she couldn't.
Because deep down... She knew it was true.
Su Meilin's lips trembled. She remembered his cold eyes when they met that day, the silence, the humiliation.
---