The layout of the bedroom was something she had changed in her previous life, and she had almost forgotten that there was a bathroom hidden inside. Following the sound, she entered the bathroom in search of her phone.
The ringtone suddenly stopped.
Frowning, she was about to dial again when a figure approached from behind, snatching the phone from her hand and tossing it into the bath. In the midst of the chaos, she found herself pinned against the clear mirror, her back cold from the glass. In front of her was the warm, intoxicating breath of the man she had been avoiding.
He was bare-chested, with only a thin bath towel wrapped around his waist.
He trapped her in his arms, his strength unmistakable. Her mind raced—no wonder he always managed to overpower her.
"Let me go!" she hissed, feeling her ears burn.
It was then that she realized he had just come out of the bath. Water dripped from his damp hair, his upper body still wet, and with one hand, he tilted her chin upwards, bringing his body dangerously close to hers.
"You dared to enter the bathroom, Shen Ming. What else are you afraid of?" he taunted.
She had no idea he'd been in the bath.
Her face flushed with embarrassment, but she forced herself to meet his gaze. "Can't you talk normally? Isn't it cold to be half-naked? Let go of me!"
His damp hair was dripping onto her, but his grip on her only tightened. He leaned in closer, his lips almost brushing hers.
"Let me go," she repeated, her heart pounding.
He simply smirked and pressed his body against hers even more. "You're the one who came in here. You offered this business, so don't expect me to refuse."
She felt his presence invading her personal space, his chest pressing into hers.
Realizing she had no room to breathe, she couldn't help but recall the events of the previous night. Her face turned an even deeper shade of red. How had she allowed herself to be so vulnerable?
"Are you really so angry about last night?" she muttered, trying to regain some composure. "You've had your revenge, now can you let go of me?"
Without warning, he kissed her, his lips capturing hers with a fierce intensity. She struggled to break free, but her efforts were in vain. The difference in their strength was clear—if he didn't let go, there was no way she could escape.
In a desperate attempt, she bit his lip hard enough to draw blood.
"Zhao Nan!" she yelled, her voice trembling. "Have you never brushed your teeth? It's early in the morning, stop disgusting me!"
Her words only seemed to provoke him further. He kissed her again, his hands starting to tug at her clothes.
Her mind was spinning. This wasn't the Zhao Nan she knew. In her past life, he had always been composed and restrained. Why was he behaving like this now? Was he always this way, and she just never saw it before?
One of his hands covered her mouth, separating their faces slightly, giving her just enough space to breathe.
"Shen Ming," he said coolly, his voice dark, "if you came in here, the deal was already made. Why are you still acting like you didn't want it?"
Her breath was shallow as she tried to make sense of his words. Her head was spinning. "Zhao Nan, do you even know what you're doing? You used ME Group to acquire my company, and now you're acting like this—can't you behave like a normal person?"
He seemed to pick up on the implications in her words. He pulled away slightly, giving her some space, but still close enough that she could feel the heat of his body.
"Acquiring your company?" he repeated, his eyes narrowing. "So that's what this is about—this is what has you so upset?"
He eyed her carefully, studying her flushed face, the mist of confusion in her eyes.
He suddenly lowered his head, bringing their noses together, a wicked smile playing at the corner of his lips. "Shen Ming, did you ever stop to think before you act? ME Group is the company I plan to acquire in the second half of this year. Your little company isn't even worth the effort. Why would I bother with something so small?"
The realization hit her like a lightning bolt. "Wait… so the ME Group isn't your doing?"
"No," he replied with a smirk. "The current head of ME Group is Hai Ming, the heir of Hai City Group. You saw him last night, didn't you?"
Hai Ming.
Her mind raced. She remembered the connection between Hai Ming and Gu Feng. If Hai Ming was behind it all, then it meant… her company wasn't being acquired by Zhao Nan after all.
A mixture of confusion and relief washed over her. She wasn't sure whether to be alarmed or grateful. The tension in her chest loosened, but there was still something that didn't sit right with her.
She looked at him and felt a slight spark of something that wasn't just anger.
"Well… in that case, I suppose I misunderstood you. You've already had your revenge for last night. Can we please just talk business now? That's why I'm here." Her voice was calm, but there was a hint of vulnerability.
His smile grew more mischievous, as he leaned closer, one hand gently touching her chin, raising her head.
"Talk business? Fine. But since I've been taking the blame for Hai Ming for so long, I think I deserve a little compensation. After all, this room, Shen Ming, isn't somewhere just anyone can enter."
Before she could say anything, he pressed her against the wall and kissed her again.
Later that day, she sat on the couch in his room, nursing a swollen lip, her face still warm from the morning's events.
She managed to touch up her makeup, but when she looked in the mirror, it felt almost surreal. How had things escalated so quickly between them this time? She had never expected things to progress like this.
His room was simple, minimalistic. It looked like he never brought women here. She couldn't help but wonder if his private residence was the same style.
"Stop sneaking peeks," came his voice from behind her.
She quickly turned around, feigning innocence. "I wasn't looking."
Deep down, she knew she shouldn't have felt guilty. Whether or not he had been the one to acquire her company, the events of last night and what had just happened were completely wrong. She had every right to be upset.
"Now that you're done with your bath, can we talk about what I came here for?" she asked, her tone no longer trembling with fear. She was back to her cold, composed self.
Zhao Nan chuckled, a mocking smile on his lips. He sat down opposite her, leaning back on the couch in a relaxed pose.
"Talk? Fine, Miss Shen, feel free to speak. What do you want to discuss?"