It was getting harder for Mo Yichen every day. His mind kept spinning like a broken record: he hated her.
That was the truth he clung to. That was the anchor he threw into his chaos.
But every day, she did something.... something small, something subtle that pulled his attention back to her. There was a fire growing inside him, something possessive and wild. The rational part of his brain screamed at him, "Avoid her. She's scheming..." But some thoughts... some desires... are harder to bury.
Tonight, he sat in a private bar, sipping dark liquor, and finally meeting his old friends after over a month, Han Ziqi and Bo Qinghai.
The three had been close since childhood. Not only were their families tied by long-standing business alliances, but their bond had been tempered like steel during their military years. Enlisted together, surviving dire missions side by side, their friendship had become unshakable.
Like every trio, they were polar opposites..... Han Ziqi: the carefree party king. Bo Jinghai: the snake in a suit, smooth and calculating. And Mo Yichen: cold, unreadable, and dangerously composed.
"So, Brother Mo," Han Ziqi teased, swirling the wine in his glass, "didn't bring the new bride tonight?"
"Why should I?" Yichen replied dryly, sipping from his own glass.
"Is she not presentable? Are you embarrassed?" Ziqi grinned, pushing the joke further.
Another voice chimed in from across the room. "I heard CEO Mo was forced into this marriage…"
Mo Yichen turned toward the speaker, a bratty second-generation heir named Chen-something. He vaguely remembered seeing him at a banquet once. No depth or backbone. Just a mouth that never knew when to shut. Mo Yichen didn't waste his time on people like him; they were beneath his notice. These types clawed their way into elite circles by licking the soles of others' shoes. He knew the Chen family had recently secured a town project, not through merit, but through connections. Their actual contribution had been minimal, yet it gave them just enough room to gloat. And now here he was, babbling like he mattered, believing he had become someone of importance. In reality, he and those like him weren't even worthy of sharing the same room as Mo Yichen.
"Who's spreading these rumors?" Han Ziqi laughed. "Who could possibly force our mighty Brother Mo?"
"Apparently, it came from Young Master Ye himself," Chen said, shrugging. "He's known to be good friends with CEO Mo, isn't he?" he looked cunningly through his glass, afraid to anger CEO Mo, but wanting to make a space in the upper circle.
Yichen's fingers tightened slightly around the glass.
Ye family? Why would they say that? Did Mother say something to Madam Ye…? The thought irked him. Why was his personal life becoming idle chatter for social circles?
"How about you bring her here?" a woman lounging next to Chen said casually. "We'll teach her a lesson."
"Yeah," added the young master of the Zhao family, chuckling. "I heard she's from some ordinary background. Would be fun."
Mo Yichen's lips curved into a slow, dark chuckle. "Do you think you can afford to play with my wife, Mo Yichen's wife?" he said coldly, each word dipped in ice.
The room fell silent. Just the idea of someone touching her… someone talking about her like this made his blood boil. He clenched his jaw. What was he thinking? Why was he so… protective of her?
"Come on, Brother," Bo Qinghai, who had remained quiet till now, finally spoke. "Bring her. We just want to see if she's… worthy of you."
Mo Yichen turned and gave him a long, unreadable look.
"Don't be so uptight," Han Ziqi chimed in again, wiggling his brows. "It's not like we'll bite her."
"I don't know who'll bite who," he said, taking another sip from his glass. His mind drifted back to her. Those pretty, pretty eyes, burning with fury… her stubborn little nose, that dreamy face. For a moment, he lingered in the memory, a desire ignited in his veins, until it snapped. He remembered the sharp sting of the file she'd slapped him with, and the look of pure disgust that clouded her beautiful eyes. His jaw tightened as he clenched his teeth.
"If I'm worried about that Ice Princess," Mo Yichen muttered, downing the rest of his drink in one go, "then it really will be the end of the world." He was trying to convince himself.
Without another word, he stood up and left the room.
The next morning, Mo Yichen sat in his office and made a call. He summoned Xia Ruyan.
An important contract needed to be handled. It was one of the year's largest investments, and the client, Liang Group, was notoriously difficult. An executive had tried managing it before… and had ended up in the hospital from alcohol poisoning after the first meeting.
Initially, Mo Yichen had planned to handle it himself.
But now… He decided to give it to her because he wanted to convince himself that he didn't care. That her well-being or even her existence meant nothing to him.
She walked into the office, poised and unreadable as always. For a moment, her eyes met his.
The last time they had exchanged more than work-related words was during the conference. Since then, he had spoken to her only in curt orders, and sometimes, he hurled jagged, cutting words, futile attempts to hurt her. She always listened with a blank face.
She thought Mo Yichen was too fragile. Maybe his temper truly was, at least in front of her. But what neither of them seemed to understand yet... was why.
"It's a critical project," he said, sliding a file across the desk. "You'll handle it." She took the file, flipping through it calmly.
"You'll meet the representative of Liang Group at Hotel Royal. Private room." She paused, set the file back down, and looked at him with quiet defiance.
"I'm not suitable for this," she said softly. His brows drew together.
"Secretary Xia," he snapped, "in the corporate world, you follow orders from your superiors. This isn't a negotiation."
"It was negotiated, President Mo," she replied, her tone still gentle. "When I signed the contract. I don't meet clients in places like that."
It was said as calmly as someone commenting on the weather, as if his authority meant nothing.
"You're refusing my order?" he nearly shouted.
"I don't take such orders," she replied.
"If that's all, I'll take my leave." She turned to go. In a fit of fury, he hurled his coffee cup at the ground. Porcelain shattered. The sound echoed across the office.
She paused just a second, but never looked back. Then, she walked out.
And in that moment, something inside him snapped. He clenched his fists.
Fine. Let it be that way.
He would let his so-called friends play with her. He would let them humiliate her. He would make sure she broke. He would drag her to her knees, make her beg him...
Let her see what happened to people who crossed Mo Yichen.
Let them burn her frozen being...