Liyana's Perspective
A dull ache spread across Liyana's wrists as she stirred awake. The faint scent of damp concrete and rust filled her nose, the air thick with an unsettling stillness. Her head throbbed, disoriented, but the cold bite of metal against her skin sharpened her senses. Handcuffs.
She opened her eyes. The dimly lit room was nothing more than an abandoned warehouse—steel beams towering over cracked floors, flickering fluorescent lights casting eerie shadows. She was seated on a wooden chair, her hands restrained behind her back, her ankles tied to the legs of the chair.
Where am I? Who—
Then she remembered. The amusement park. The strange man tailing her. The gang that surrounded her. The threat against Lu Yuhan and Lu Meilin. And then—darkness.
Her heartbeat pounded in her ears, but she forced herself to stay calm. Panicking wouldn't get her out of this.
Think, Liyana.
She tested the restraints, feeling the tight bite of metal against her skin. Too tight to slip out of. Her eyes scanned the surroundings. A single door. No windows. The scent of oil and metal suggested a factory or a dockside warehouse.
Then, a slow clap echoed through the room.
"Awake already?"
Liyana's gaze snapped toward the man stepping forward. He was lean, dressed in a sharp black suit that contrasted with his sinister smirk. His sharp eyes studied her with amusement.
"You're surprisingly composed," he mused, tilting his head. "Most women would be screaming by now."
Liyana's jaw clenched. "I'm not most women."
The man chuckled. "I know. That's why you're here."
She narrowed her eyes. "Who are you?"
The man stepped closer, bending slightly so that they were at eye level. His voice lowered to a menacing whisper.
"Lin Hao."
The name clicked instantly. A black-market investor. Ruthless. Dangerous. Known for underhanded deals.
"Why am I here?" Liyana asked, though she already suspected the answer.
Lin Hao's smirk widened. "Because of Damien Lu."
Damien's Perspective
Damien stood motionless in his office, the faint hum of his computer screen the only sound in the otherwise silent space. His fingers curled into fists as he stared at the security footage frozen on the screen.
Liyana. Surrounded. Outnumbered. Taken.
His secretary, Gao Wei, stood beside him, his expression grave. "Sir, this is serious. Lin Hao is known for playing dirty. If he has Miss Xu—"
"I know." Damien's voice was dangerously quiet.
He inhaled deeply, but the fury inside him burned hotter. His mind was replaying the events of last night—the taste of Liyana's lips, the way she fit perfectly in his arms, the way she looked at him after he kissed her.
And now… someone had dared to take his woman from him.
His phone buzzed. It was an unknown number.
With icy precision, Damien answered.
"Mr. Lu," came Lin Hao's voice, smooth and taunting. "I see you're looking for something that belongs to you."
Damien's grip on the phone tightened. Mine.
Lin Hao chuckled. "Shall we talk?"