Zi Ning sat in the dressing room, adjusting the collar of her outfit while the makeup artist finished the final touches. The mirror reflected her calm face, but her mind was working fast.
The message from last night confirmed it—Wang Yingying and Wang Hao were losing patience. They thought she was cornered.
Good. That meant they weren't expecting what was coming next.
The makeup artist stepped back and smiled. "All done, Sister Zi Ning."
Zi Ning nodded. "Thank you."
She stood and walked out of the dressing room, her heels clicking against the floor. The film set was already buzzing with activity.
She spotted Zhao Yifan standing in the corner, talking with the assistant director. When he noticed her, his lips curled into a smirk, as if he was enjoying a private joke.
She ignored him.
"Zi Ning, over here!" the director called.
She walked over, slipping easily into professional mode. The scene today was a crucial one, filled with tension and emotion. She had memorized every line, but more than that, she understood the character's pain, her anger.
The cameras rolled, and she stepped into the role.
As the scene played out, she felt the weight of the emotions settle in her chest. Her eyes burned with unshed tears as she delivered her final line. The moment stretched, the silence thick with emotion.
"Cut!" the director shouted, standing up. His expression was full of approval. "Perfect. Absolutely perfect."
Applause followed, but Zi Ning barely heard it. She took a deep breath, letting the character's emotions fade.
As she stepped away from the set, a crew member approached her hesitantly. "Sister Zi Ning, someone sent this for you."
He handed her a small black envelope.
She took it, her fingers running over the smooth paper. She already had a feeling who it was from.
She opened it and read the simple message inside:
Meet me at The Crimson Lounge tonight. 10 PM. Come alone.
No name. No signature.
But she knew.
Wang Hao was finally making his move.
Zi Ning arrived at The Crimson Lounge at exactly 10 PM.
The club was one of the most exclusive in the city. It was filled with dim lighting, expensive liquor, and people who thought money could buy anything.
A waiter led her to a private booth at the back.
Wang Hao was already there, a glass of wine in hand. He looked relaxed, like a predator who thought his prey had already fallen into his trap.
Zi Ning slid into the seat across from him, her face unreadable.
He smiled, swirling his wine. "I was wondering if you'd show up."
She crossed her arms. "I'm here. Say what you need to say."
Wang Hao leaned forward. "I'll be direct, Zi Ning. You're making things difficult. The scandal could've died down by now, but you refuse to play your part."
She raised an eyebrow. "And what part is that?"
He smirked. "The fallen actress who admits her mistake and disappears from the industry."
Zi Ning chuckled, but there was no humor in it. "And what makes you think I'll do that?"
His eyes darkened. "Because I can make things worse for you."
She leaned back. "Go ahead and try."
For the first time, Wang Hao's confident smile wavered. He hadn't expected her to be so fearless.
He placed his glass down. "Do you really think you can fight against me? Against Wang Yingying? We have power, connections. You have nothing."
Zi Ning's lips curled into a smirk. "Is that so?"
Wang Hao's eyes narrowed. "What are you playing at?"
She pulled out her phone and tapped the screen. A recording played.
Wang Hao's voice came through clearly: Because I can make things worse for you.
His face paled.
She tilted her head. "You were saying?"
His jaw tightened. "You think this will scare me?"
She smiled. "I don't need to scare you. I just need to make sure you don't underestimate me again."
She stood, slipping her phone back into her bag. "Goodbye, Wang Hao. Try harder next time."
She walked away, leaving him sitting there, his hands clenched into fists.
Wang Hao sat in the booth, his face dark. His fingers curled around his wine glass, but he didn't drink. He had underestimated Zi Ning. He never expected her to come prepared.
The recording on her phone—how had she gotten that?
Did she record him secretly, or did she have someone else working for her?
He gritted his teeth. That woman… she was more dangerous than he thought.
A waiter approached, hesitating. "Sir, should I bring another drink?"
Wang Hao waved him away impatiently. He needed to think.
Zi Ning had just declared war.
Zi Ning stepped out of The Crimson Lounge, the night air crisp against her skin. She pulled her coat tighter around her shoulders and exhaled slowly.
She had expected Wang Hao to try and intimidate her, but tonight confirmed it—he thought she was an easy target.
Not anymore.
As she walked toward the car waiting at the curb, her phone buzzed. A message from an unknown number.
"Be careful. They won't let this go."
Her fingers tightened around the device.
She typed back quickly. "Who is this?"
No reply.
Her gaze darkened. There was someone watching from the shadows. But were they a friend or an enemy?
She climbed into the car, her thoughts racing.
At the Wang family's private estate, Wang Yingying threw her phone across the room. It hit the wall with a loud crack, the screen shattering.
Wang Hao sat across from her, his face unreadable.
"You're telling me she had a recording of you?" Wang Yingying snapped.
Wang Hao's jaw clenched. "Yes."
She let out a sharp breath, pacing the room. "Useless. I told you to handle her quietly. Now she has leverage against us."
He rubbed his temples. "She won't release it so easily. If she had planned to, she would have done it already."
Wang Yingying turned, her eyes cold. "Then we have to force her hand. If she wants a war, we'll give her one."
Wang Hao looked up. "What do you have in mind?"
A cruel smile curved on her lips. "It's time to ruin her completely."
The next morning, Zi Ning woke up to chaos.
Her phone was flooded with messages, missed calls, and notifications from every social media platform.
Her heart sank. Something had happened.
She opened the first news article she saw.
"ZI NING EXPOSED! SECRET PAST REVEALED!"
She scrolled down, her breath catching.
The article was filled with photos—some from years ago, some recent—but all carefully selected to paint her in the worst light.
Fabricated stories about her personal life. Accusations of manipulation, bribery, even connections to shady businesses.
And at the very bottom…
"Sources confirm that Zi Ning's true identity has been covered up for years. Who is she really?"
Her blood ran cold.
They were digging into her past.
The past she barely remembered.
Her fingers trembled as she closed the article. She opened her messages, her agency already calling nonstop.
A call came through at that moment.
She picked up. "Hello?"
Her agent's voice was frantic. "Zi Ning! What's going on? The internet is exploding! Reporters are waiting outside your apartment!"
She pinched the bridge of her nose. "It's a smear campaign."
"Well, they're doing a damn good job! We need to issue a statement. If we don't respond fast, your reputation—"
"I'll handle it." Her voice was calm.
Her agent hesitated. "Handle it? How?"
She hung up without answering.
She needed to think.
The Wang family had finally made their big move. They were trying to erase her from the industry completely.
But they had made a mistake.
They thought she would break.
They thought she would run.
She wasn't that weak little girl anymore.
Her phone buzzed again—another unknown number.
She answered. "Who is this?"
A deep, familiar voice spoke. "We need to meet."
She froze. Lu Yichen.
Her grip on the phone tightened. "Where?"
"Come to my office. Now."
The line went dead.
She exhaled sharply. She had no choice but to go.
Zi Ning stepped into Lu Yichen's office.
The moment she entered, his cold gaze locked onto her.
He sat behind his desk, his fingers tapping against the surface. The tension in the room was heavy.
She crossed her arms. "What do you want?"
He tossed a folder onto the desk. "Read it."
She hesitated before picking it up.
Inside were documents—detailed reports about the Wang family's involvement in the scandal against her. Traces of payments to media outlets. Conversations leaked from sources inside their company.
Lu Yichen had proof.
She looked up. "Why are you helping me?"
He stood, stepping closer. His presence was overwhelming, his eyes never leaving hers.
"Because I don't like being lied to," he said coldly. "And I don't like seeing you lose."
Her breath hitched.
He reached out, gently brushing a strand of hair from her face. "It's time to fight back, Zi Ning."
Her fingers curled around the folder.
Yes.
It was time.