Paradise Celeste
The luxurious villa perched atop a secluded hill, offering a panoramic view of the bustling city below. It was a fortress of power, wealth, and secrecy—Paradise Celeste, the private sanctuary of China's most influential men.
Yang Yufan sat in the lounge, swirling a glass of whiskey as he glanced at his two closest friends.
Zhu Zihan was seated across from him, typing away on his laptop, his sharp eyes reflecting the glow of the screen. He was a businessman through and through, always working, always plotting.
Wu Xiang, on the other hand, was lounging lazily, one leg draped over the arm of the chair as he scrolled through his phone. Despite his carefree attitude, he was an empire builder in the entertainment industry, his influence reaching beyond borders.
"So you're really going to see her today?" Zhu Zihan asked, his tone casual but his curiosity evident.
Yufan's fingers tightened around his glass. "It's been a while."
Wu Xiang let out a dramatic sigh. "You know, I always thought you were fearless. But here you are, hesitating over a woman."
Yufan shot him a glare, but Zhu Zihan smirked. "He has a point. You command soldiers, you've negotiated with warlords, and yet Guo Min renders you speechless."
Yufan leaned back, exhaling deeply. "She's not just any woman. She's…" He paused, searching for the right words. "She's everything."
The room fell into silence for a moment.
Then Wu Xiang suddenly sat up. "Alright, serious talk. If you don't confess soon, someone else might. And let's be real, she's not just beautiful—she's powerful. That combination? Dangerous as hell."
Zhu Zihan nodded. "You don't just love her. You respect her. That's rare. But if you're waiting for the perfect moment, you'll lose her."
Yufan's jaw clenched. He knew they were right.
"Fine," he muttered. "I'll see her today."
Wu Xiang grinned. "That's more like it. Now, does she have a best friend who's single? Because my mother is breathing down my neck about marriage, and I need a distraction."
Yufan smirked. "Ruoxi."
Wu Xiang raised a brow. "The CEO of Wang Group?"
Yufan nodded. "She's carefree, but she's not easy to handle."
Wu Xiang chuckled. "Sounds like a challenge. I like challenges."
Zhu Zihan shook his head. "You like trouble."
Wu Xiang shrugged. "Same thing."
Yufan finished his whiskey and stood. "Enough talk. Time to move."
As they got up, the atmosphere shifted.
The playfulness faded.
Now, it was time for action.
Imperial Hotels and Lodge
Guo Min's grip tightened around the heavy brass lamp she had grabbed from the hallway.
Her heart pounded violently in her chest, but her mind remained ice-cold.
The bastard didn't even sense her presence, too lost in his sick fantasy. His hands roamed over Ruoxi's immobilized body, his mouth trailing over her collarbone as she whimpered, her tear-filled eyes begging for an escape she couldn't physically fight for.
Rage ignited inside Guo Min like an uncontrollable wildfire.
With a single, merciless swing, she brought the lamp crashing down against the back of Mr. Chu's head. The sickening crack echoed in the luxurious suite as his body slumped forward, collapsing onto the floor. Blood trickled from his temple as he groaned weakly, struggling to comprehend what had just happened.
But Guo Min wasn't finished.
She knelt down, gripping his jaw with a force that made his head snap up. His dazed, unfocused eyes met her own—a burning storm of hatred.
"You drugged the wrong woman, Mr. Chu," she whispered, her voice laced with lethal venom. "And now, you're going to wish you never crawled out of whatever gutter you came from."
Ruoxi whimpered weakly. That was all it took for Guo Min to slam her knee into his gut, making him choke on his own breath.
"Min... Min..." Ruoxi's voice was barely above a whisper.
Guo Min released the bastard and turned her full attention to her best friend. She was shaking, her pupils blown wide from whatever drug he had slipped into her drink.
"I've got you," Guo Min murmured, brushing Ruoxi's damp hair from her face before reaching for her phone.
She pressed a single button.
It rang twice before a voice answered.
"Min?"
Yang Yufan.
"I need you."
Silence.
Then his voice dropped an octave, laced with quiet, controlled fury.
"Where are you?"
"Imperial Hotels, top floor, Room 1409."
"Stay there. I'm coming."
She ended the call and turned back to the groaning man on the floor. He was trying to crawl toward the bed, probably thinking he could escape this situation with money and power.
Inside the car, Wu Xiang tapped away on his phone. "This Mr. Chu… let's see." His eyes flickered as he scrolled through information. "Ah, got him. Chu Heng, CEO of Heng Enterprises, son of Minister Chu. Wealthy. Connected. A disgusting excuse for a human being.
Pathetic.
Guo Min grabbed the bottle of wine from the bedside table and, with precise control, shattered it against the wall. Glass rained down onto the floor like tiny shards of death. She took one of the jagged pieces and crouched down beside Mr. Chu, running the edge along his cheek, just enough to let him feel the bite of the blade.
"You're going to tell me exactly who gave you the drug," she whispered, pressing the glass against the thin skin of his throat. "And if you lie, I'll carve my name into your chest so the whole world knows who did this to you."
His body trembled. "I—I just—"
"Choose your words wisely."
Heavy footsteps pounded down the hall. Then, the door burst open.
Yang Yufan stood there, his expression dark, his presence suffocating. Behind him, Zhu Zihan and Wu Xiang followed, their gazes immediately taking in the situation—the shattered glass, Ruoxi's barely conscious form, and the blood dripping from Mr. Chu's head.
Yufan's jaw clenched. "Who."
Guo Min didn't even blink.
"Ruoxi's drink was spiked," she said, flicking the bloody glass shard aside. "He was about to assault her when I arrived."
Wu Xiang inhaled sharply, his entire demeanor shifting into something deadly. "That bastard."
Zhu Zihan removed his suit jacket, tossing it over Ruoxi's shoulders before checking her pulse. "She's drugged, but stable. We need to get her treated."
Yufan strode toward Mr. Chu, who was shaking violently now. "I don't like repeating myself," he said slowly. "Who gave you the drug?"
Mr. Chu gasped for air. "I—I swear it wasn't my idea! I was just told to—"
Yufan's foot came down hard on the man's wrist, making him howl in pain.
"Who. Gave. You. The. Drug?"
Guo Min crossed her arms, watching with cold satisfaction.
Mr. Chu was already a dead man walking.
Guo Min's breath was steady, her rage meticulously controlled, but the fire in her eyes was undeniable. As she carried Ruoxi out of the wretched hotel room, the unconscious and bloodied Mr. Chu remained behind, barely clinging to consciousness.
Her steps were silent but deliberate as she strode through the hotel corridors, her lethal aura warning anyone who dared cross her path. The receptionist, who had eagerly let her in earlier, now looked horrified. But Guo Min wasn't in the mood for witnesses.
With Ruoxi carefully settled into the passenger seat of her Bugatti Chiron, Guo Min took a moment to assess her condition. The drug was wearing off, but the trauma in Ruoxi's eyes made Guo Min's blood boil anew.
Ruoxi's fingers trembled as she clutched Guo Min's sleeve. "Minmin…" Her voice was hoarse. "That bastard… he was going to—"
Guo Min placed a firm but gentle hand over Ruoxi's. "I know. But he didn't."
Ruoxi swallowed hard, her eyes welling up again. "I— I was so scared. I couldn't move."
Guo Min's jaw tightened. "You never have to be scared again."
Without another word, she pulled out her phone and dialed.
The line rang twice before a deep, commanding voice answered.
"Hello?"
"Yufan," she said, her voice as sharp as a knife. "I need a favor."
There was a pause, followed by a quiet but deadly, "Say the word."
Guo Min's lips curled into a dangerous smirk.
"Bury him."