The moment Yuxi received the invitation to the corporate event, she knew something was off.
It had been personally arranged by Zhao Liying.
"Since you're part of the Public Relations team now, it's important that you attend and make connections," Zhao Liying had said with a pleasant smile.
But her eyes had been calculating.
Yuxi had seen that look before.
Still, she had no reason to refuse.
This was a chance—a way to prove herself in front of high-profile executives.
So, she put on a sleek but professional dress and arrived at the venue, determined to handle herself with grace.
What she didn't expect was the trap waiting for her.
The ballroom at the luxury hotel was lavish, filled with the hum of polite conversation and the clinking of wine glasses.
Everywhere Yuxi looked, there were powerful figures—CEOs, investors, and senior executives exchanging pleasantries and business deals.
She took a deep breath, clutching the wine glass in her hand without drinking from it.
Her plan was simple:
Stay professional.
Listen and observe.
Avoid unnecessary interactions.
But just as she was about to step toward a small group of PR team members, a hand touched her elbow.
Meng Yiran.
She was smiling, but her grip was tight.
"Jiang Yuxi, come with me. A very important investor is interested in speaking with you," she said smoothly.
Yuxi stiffened.
Something about her tone sent a chill down her spine.
"Why me?" she asked cautiously.
Meng Yiran's eyes flickered with amusement. "Because you're new, of course. It's a great opportunity. Unless…" Her voice lowered slightly. "You're afraid you can't handle it?"
Yuxi clenched her jaw.
She wasn't afraid.
She was suspicious.
But refusing now would make her seem weak.
Exhaling slowly, she nodded. "Lead the way."
Instead of guiding her toward a public conversation, Meng Yiran took her to a private corridor, away from the main event.
Yuxi's instincts screamed at her to turn back.
But before she could say anything, Meng Yiran stopped in front of a dimly lit meeting room and pushed the door open.
"He's waiting inside," she said sweetly.
Yuxi hesitated.
Something felt wrong.
She glanced at Meng Yiran, but the woman's expression was carefully blank.
Still, backing out now would look cowardly.
Taking a deep breath, Yuxi stepped inside.
The door clicked shut behind her.
The air inside the room was heavy—thick with the scent of expensive liquor.
And then she saw him.
A middle-aged businessman, clearly intoxicated, lounging in a chair with his tie loosened and a glass in hand.
His gaze swept over her, slow and assessing.
Yuxi's breath hitched.
She knew this kind of look.
Her pulse quickened as she subtly moved back toward the door.
"Ah, you must be the lovely Mrs. Gu," the man slurred, a lazy smile curving his lips. "Come, have a drink with me."
Yuxi forced a polite smile. "I appreciate the invitation, but I have work to do."
The man chuckled, standing up.
"I insist," he said, stepping closer.
Yuxi's grip tightened around her clutch.
She wasn't naive.
She had seen too many women in high society fall into situations like this—cornered, humiliated, powerless.
She refused to be one of them.
Taking a step back, she reached for the doorknob—only to find it locked.
Her heart skipped a beat.
The businessman smirked.
"Why are you so nervous?" he asked silkily. "I only want to talk."
Yuxi's hands clenched into fists.
Zhao Liying.
Meng Yiran.
They set me up.
Her pulse pounded in her ears as the man took another step forward.
"Stay where you are," she said coldly, masking the fear clawing at her throat.
He chuckled. "Don't be so tense. I can help you a lot in this company, you know?"
Yuxi's stomach twisted.
No. Not like this.
She had to get out.
She took a deep breath, ready to shove past him—
When suddenly, a voice as cold as ice cut through the room.
"Move away from her."
The entire atmosphere shifted.
The businessman froze, his drunken haze dissipating instantly.
Yuxi turned sharply, her breath catching.
Gu Zeyan stood in the doorway.
His face was completely expressionless—but the weight of his presence was suffocating.
His sharp, tailored suit made him look like a man born to command, his piercing eyes locked onto the businessman with quiet, lethal intensity.
A predator sizing up his prey.
The businessman swallowed hard.
"Mr. Gu, I—"
"You what?" Gu Zeyan's voice was silk-laced with steel.
The man stammered. "It—it was a misunderstanding."
Gu Zeyan took a slow step forward.
"Is that so?" His tone was deceptively calm. "Then tell me—what exactly was misunderstood?"
The man's face drained of color.
Yuxi could feel the shift in the air—the room had suddenly become dangerous.
Gu Zeyan wasn't just angry.
He was furious.
The businessman scrambled for an excuse, but Gu Zeyan didn't let him speak.
His next words were soft, but they sent a chill down Yuxi's spine.
"You have two choices," he said. "Either leave this city quietly, or I make sure you regret ever stepping into this room."
A sharp inhale.
The businessman stumbled back, nodding frantically. "I—I understand, Mr. Gu."
"Then get out," Gu Zeyan ordered.
The man didn't hesitate. He fled.
The Aftermath
The moment the door slammed shut, silence filled the room.
Gu Zeyan turned his gaze to Yuxi.
His expression remained unreadable, but something dark lingered in his eyes.
She expected him to scold her.
To demand an explanation.
But he didn't.
Instead, he took one step closer, looking down at her.
For a moment, it felt like he wanted to say something.
But in the end, he said nothing.
Yuxi, still shaken, lifted her chin.
She refused to let him see her weakness.
So, without a word, she stepped past him and walked out.
Gu Zeyan didn't stop her.
But that night—
When Yuxi returned home, she felt his gaze linger on her longer than usual.
And for the first time…
His presence felt like something more dangerous than she had ever imagined.