Zi Ning sat in front of Lu Yichen's desk, her fingers gripping a pen as she stared at the blank notepad in front of her. Her mind raced with different strategies. Wang Yin had gotten away with too much for too long, and now, it was time to make her pay.
Lu Yichen leaned back in his chair, watching her in amusement. "You look like you're plotting a war."
Zi Ning met his gaze, her eyes sharp. "That's because I am."
A slow smirk tugged at his lips. "Then tell me, what's the plan?"
Zi Ning took a deep breath and leaned forward. "Wang Yin is dangerous, but she's also arrogant. She thinks she's in control, that no one can touch her. If we make her believe that her secrets are slipping out, she'll start panicking. And when people panic, they make mistakes."
Lu Yichen nodded, intrigued. "So you want to bait her?"
Zi Ning's lips curled into a cold smile. "Exactly."
She glanced at Jiang Yue, who was sitting quietly on the couch. The woman still looked pale after watching the video last night, but there was a fire in her eyes now.
"We're going to spread a rumor," Zi Ning continued. "Just a whisper, something small but dangerous enough to make her nervous."
Jiang Yue straightened. "What kind of rumor?"
Zi Ning tapped her fingers against the desk. "That Wang Xue's death wasn't an accident. That someone has evidence proving she was murdered."
Jiang Yue gasped. "But won't that put us in danger?"
Lu Yichen interjected calmly. "It's risky, but it's also the only way to flush her out." He turned back to Zi Ning. "How do you plan to spread this?"
Zi Ning's eyes gleamed with determination. "Social media. A few anonymous posts, maybe a leaked message to a reporter known for chasing scandals. It has to be subtle, just enough to make her feel threatened."
Jiang Yue still looked hesitant, but she nodded. "I know a few entertainment reporters who love digging up dirt. I can pass the information to them without exposing myself."
Lu Yichen smirked. "Good. Once she starts scrambling to cover her tracks, we'll be waiting."
Zi Ning's grip on the pen tightened. "She wanted to destroy me. Now, let's see how she likes it when the tables are turned."
Two hours later, a single post appeared on a small entertainment blog.
"An insider claims that a well-known actress's death was not an accident. Rumors suggest that there is proof of foul play, and certain powerful figures are involved. More updates to come."
The post didn't name anyone directly, but it was enough to catch attention. Within minutes, comments started pouring in.
"Wait… are they talking about Wang Xue?"
"This makes sense! She was at the top of her career, why would she suddenly 'disappear' like that?"
"If this is true, someone needs to investigate!"
Zi Ning sat back, watching the reactions unfold. Beside her, Jiang Yue bit her lip anxiously. "Do you think she'll take the bait?"
Lu Yichen's phone buzzed. He checked the screen and let out a low chuckle. "She already has."
He turned the phone toward them. It was a message from one of his informants.
Wang Yin is in a meeting with PR right now. She's furious. They're trying to find out who leaked this.
Zi Ning's heart pounded. It's working.
She exchanged a glance with Lu Yichen, and for the first time in a long while, she felt like she was one step ahead.
But this was only the beginning.
Later that night, Zi Ning was sitting by the window, staring at the city lights. The streets below were alive with traffic, but her mind was focused on one thing—Wang Yin's next move.
She knew the woman wouldn't sit still. Wang Yin was ruthless. If she thought someone had evidence against her, she would do anything to silence them.
Her phone buzzed.
A message from an unknown number.
"You don't know what you're playing with. Drop it now, or you'll regret it."
Zi Ning's breath hitched. Her fingers tightened around the phone. So fast? She expected Wang Yin to react, but not this quickly.
She showed the message to Lu Yichen. He took one look and sneered. "She's scared."
Zi Ning's lips curled into a smirk. "Good."
She typed a response.
"Too late."
Then, she blocked the number.
Lu Yichen chuckled. "Bold."
Zi Ning shrugged. "She thinks she can scare me. But I'm done being afraid."
The next day, chaos erupted in the entertainment industry.
More gossip sites picked up the rumor. Some dismissed it as speculation, but others began digging deeper. Old reports about Wang Xue's sudden disappearance resurfaced. People started asking questions.
Wang Yin was seen rushing into the Guo Corporation's headquarters with an ashen face. Paparazzi caught photos of her looking visibly distressed.
Zi Ning was sitting in Lu Yichen's study when Zhou Wei walked in with a grim expression.
"We have a problem."
Lu Yichen's eyes darkened. "What is it?"
Zhou Wei handed him a tablet. "She's making her move."
Zi Ning leaned over and her breath caught.
A breaking news article was plastered across the screen.
"Shocking Scandal: Actress Zi Ning Accused of Career Sabotage! Former Co-Star Claims She Spread False Rumors About Wang Xue's Death."
Zi Ning's heart pounded. "What?"
Lu Yichen's jaw tightened. "She's trying to shift the blame onto you."
Zhou Wei continued, "One of Wang Yin's people bribed an actress to claim that you were the one behind the rumors. They're making it look like you're attacking her out of jealousy."
Zi Ning clenched her fists. "She's trying to ruin my reputation again."
Jiang Yue looked horrified. "But we have the evidence! We can prove it's all a lie!"
Lu Yichen's gaze was sharp. "Not yet."
Zi Ning turned to him, confused. "What do you mean?"
He leaned back, his fingers steepled. "If we reveal everything now, she'll have time to recover. She'll twist the story again. But if we wait… let her dig her own grave… we can crush her completely."
Zi Ning took a deep breath. She knew he was right. But it was infuriating to see her name being dragged through the mud again.
She met Lu Yichen's gaze. "Fine. Then let's make sure she never gets back up."
Lu Yichen's smirk was cold. "Now you're thinking like a winner."
That evening, Zi Ning received another message.
This time, it wasn't a threat.
It was a video.
She hesitated before playing it.
The screen lit up with a recording of Wang Yin—sitting in a dimly lit room, talking on the phone.
Her voice was clear.
"She's too stubborn. If she doesn't back off, we'll deal with her the same way we dealt with Wang Xue."
Zi Ning's blood ran cold.
Jiang Yue gasped. "This… this is proof! She admitted it!"
Zi Ning exhaled slowly. "Not yet."
She looked at Lu Yichen, her eyes burning with determination.
"When we release this," she said, voice steady, "we make sure it's game over for her."
And this time, there would be no escape.