Zi Ning held the small flash drive in her trembling fingers, her heart pounding violently against her chest. They had finally found it. The truth that Wang Xue had risked everything for. But before she could even feel a moment of triumph, the cold reality set in—whoever had tried to kill them wouldn't stop now.
Lu Yichen took the flash drive from her and slipped it into his pocket with a firm grip. His sharp eyes swept across the dimly lit apartment, his expression unreadable yet deadly calm.
"We need to leave. Now."
Jiang Yue still looked shaken, her hands gripping the sides of her dress. "They knew we were coming… What if they're still watching?"
Zi Ning's jaw tightened. "Then we don't give them a chance to stop us."
Lu Yichen nodded. Without another word, he led the way out of the apartment, his movements steady but cautious. Every shadow in the hallway felt like a potential threat. The elevator ride down was eerily silent, each second stretching unbearably long.
When they reached the car, Lu Yichen's men were already waiting. Two sleek black SUVs were parked near the entrance, and a few bodyguards stood on high alert, scanning their surroundings for any signs of danger.
Zhou Wei, Lu Yichen's most trusted assistant, stepped forward. "We swept the area. No sign of anyone following you."
Lu Yichen pulled open the car door for Zi Ning. "We're going back to my place. We'll check what's on the drive there."
Zi Ning nodded. She didn't argue. The risk was too high to stay out in the open.
Jiang Yue hesitated before getting into the second car. "What if… what if they come after me again?"
Lu Yichen's gaze flickered toward Zhou Wei. "Find her a safe house. Somewhere completely off the grid."
Zhou Wei inclined his head. "Understood."
Jiang Yue looked relieved but still pale with fear. Zi Ning reached out and squeezed her hand. "You're not alone in this. We'll protect you."
The drive back to Lu Yichen's penthouse was filled with tension. Zi Ning kept glancing at the rearview mirror, half-expecting a car to suddenly speed up behind them. But nothing happened. The city lights blurred past the windows, but all she could think about was what was on that flash drive.
By the time they arrived at the penthouse, she could barely keep still.
Lu Yichen wasted no time. He plugged the flash drive into his laptop and sat down, his sharp gaze fixed on the screen as the files loaded.
Zi Ning and Jiang Yue leaned in, holding their breath.
A single video file appeared.
Zi Ning's hands curled into fists. This was it.
Lu Yichen clicked on it.
The screen flickered, and a grainy video began to play.
At first, there was only static. Then—
A woman's voice.
Zi Ning's breath caught in her throat. Wang Xue.
The once-glamorous actress looked tired, almost unrecognizable. Her usually perfect hair was slightly messy, her face bare of makeup.
She took a shaky breath. "If you're watching this… it means I didn't make it."
Jiang Yue gasped, her hand covering her mouth.
Zi Ning's stomach twisted painfully.
Wang Xue continued, her voice filled with quiet desperation. "I found out the truth. And now they want me gone."
She swallowed hard, her gaze darting nervously toward the camera.
"The entertainment industry isn't what it seems. There are people… powerful people… controlling everything from behind the scenes. I thought I could fight them. I was wrong."
Zi Ning felt a chill run down her spine.
"They pick who succeeds. They destroy those who don't obey." Wang Xue's voice trembled. "And I refused to obey."
The video suddenly cut to another scene. A secret recording.
Zi Ning recognized the voice instantly—
Wang Yin.
She leaned forward, her pulse racing.
Wang Yin was speaking to a man, but his face wasn't visible. His voice, however, was deep and commanding.
"We can't let her talk," the man said. "If she exposes us, we're finished."
Wang Yin's voice was cold, emotionless. "Then we'll handle it the way we always do."
Zi Ning's breath hitched.
The man chuckled. "A car accident? Suicide?"
Wang Yin smirked. "Something better. Something that will ruin her reputation first. Then, when the time is right… she disappears."
Zi Ning felt sick.
Wang Xue had known she was going to die. And Wang Yin had planned it all.
The video ended abruptly.
A heavy silence fell over the room.
Jiang Yue was shaking. "Oh my god… They really killed her."
Zi Ning's hands trembled with barely contained fury. "And now they're trying to cover it up."
Lu Yichen's expression remained unreadable, but his eyes burned with quiet anger. "This is proof. With this, we can bring them down."
Zi Ning exhaled sharply. "No wonder they were willing to kill for it."
Jiang Yue hesitated. "But… even with this evidence, can we really expose them? These are powerful people. If we go public, they'll come after us."
Zi Ning's jaw tightened. She knew Jiang Yue was right. This wasn't just about a scandal. This was a war.
Lu Yichen spoke calmly. "We need to be smart. We can't just release this without a plan."
Zi Ning nodded, her eyes dark with determination. "If we rush, they'll have time to silence us. We need to hit them when they least expect it."
Lu Yichen turned to Zhou Wei. "Make multiple copies of this drive. Store them in different locations."
Zhou Wei nodded and left immediately.
Jiang Yue hugged herself, her voice barely above a whisper. "So… what do we do now?"
Zi Ning's lips curled into a cold smile. "We wait. And when the time is right, we strike back."
She had been a victim once. But not anymore.
This time, she would be the one in control.
And she would make Wang Yin pay.
Zi Ning barely slept that night. She kept replaying the video in her mind, thinking about Wang Xue's final words. Even in death, Wang Xue had been determined to expose the truth.
Zi Ning owed it to her to finish what she started.
As she sat by the window, watching the sun rise over the city, Lu Yichen walked over and handed her a cup of coffee.
"You should rest." His voice was gentle, but firm.
Zi Ning shook her head. "There's no time for rest. We need to plan our next move."
Lu Yichen took a sip of his coffee, his gaze locked onto her. "And what do you propose?"
Zi Ning exhaled. "Wang Yin is careful, but she's arrogant. She thinks she's untouchable. We can use that against her."
Lu Yichen raised an eyebrow. "Go on."
Zi Ning's fingers tapped against the table. "We leak just enough information to make her panic. Force her to make a mistake. If she starts covering her tracks, we'll have more to use against her."
Lu Yichen smirked. "You're more ruthless than I thought."
Zi Ning met his gaze. "I learned from the best."
Lu Yichen chuckled softly. "Fine. We'll do it your way. But be prepared. Once this starts, there's no going back."
Zi Ning's eyes gleamed with cold determination.
She wasn't afraid anymore.
Wang Yin had destroyed too many lives.
Now, it was time for her to fall.