The set was busy with people rushing around. The director was shouting instructions, cameras were rolling, and actors were preparing for their next scene. But Zi Ning felt uneasy.
She looked around, scanning the crowd. Something was off.
Her phone vibrated again.
Lu Yichen: "Guo Bao might be moving. Stay alert."
Her grip tightened around her phone. She knew Lu Yichen's people were watching, but the feeling in her chest wouldn't go away.
Then, she saw him.
Guo Bao.
Dressed as a crew member, he was moving through the set, his eyes locked onto her.
Her breath caught in her throat.
For a second, she froze.
Then, Guo Bao moved.
Zi Ning turned and ran.
The set was a maze of equipment, cables, and people. Zi Ning weaved through the crowd, her heart pounding.
"Hey!" a crew member shouted as she pushed past him.
Guo Bao was right behind her.
She ran past the dressing rooms, turning sharply around a corner. A dead end.
She spun around.
Guo Bao was standing there, blocking her escape.
His face was twisted with anger. "You ruined me, Zi Ning."
Zi Ning forced herself to stay calm. "You did that to yourself, Guo Bao."
He laughed bitterly. "You think you won, don't you?"
She didn't answer.
Guo Bao stepped closer. "You were supposed to be mine. But you betrayed me. You humiliated me!"
Zi Ning's hands clenched into fists. "I never belonged to you, Guo Bao. And I never will."
His expression darkened. "Then if I can't have you, no one can."
He lunged.
Zi Ning dodged, but he grabbed her wrist, pulling her back. She struggled, kicking at him.
"Let go of me!"
Guo Bao tightened his grip. "We're leaving, right now."
A loud voice cut through the air.
"Let. Her. Go."
Guo Bao froze.
Lu Yichen stood at the end of the hallway, his expression deadly.
Behind him, several bodyguards had their guns raised.
Zi Ning felt Guo Bao's grip loosen for just a second.
She didn't waste it.
She twisted her arm free and kicked him in the stomach. Guo Bao stumbled back.
Lu Yichen stepped forward. His eyes were filled with cold fury.
"Guo Bao," he said slowly, "this is the end for you."
Guo Bao's face twisted with desperation. "No… No, I won't let you win!"
He reached into his pocket.
A gun.
Everything seemed to slow down.
Zi Ning barely had time to react before—
BANG!
A shot echoed through the hallway.
For a second, everything was silent.
Guo Bao staggered.
His eyes widened in shock.
Blood spread across his shirt.
His knees buckled, and he collapsed onto the ground.
Zi Ning gasped, stepping back.
Lu Yichen lowered his own gun, his face unreadable.
Guo Bao coughed, his body trembling. His eyes met Zi Ning's one last time.
Then, he went still.
The nightmare was finally over.
The police arrived minutes later, taking Guo Bao's body away.
Zi Ning sat on a chair, still shaken. Lu Yichen knelt in front of her, his hands gently holding hers.
"It's over," he said softly.
Zi Ning swallowed hard. "I… I can't believe it."
Lu Yichen brushed a strand of hair from her face. "You're safe now."
She let out a shaky breath.
For the first time in a long time, she felt free.
The night air was cool, carrying the scent of freshly fallen rain. The city lights shimmered in the distance as Zi Ning sat on the balcony of Lu Yichen's penthouse, staring at the skyline. The events of the past few weeks had finally ended, but her heart was still heavy.
Guo Bao was dead.
She should have felt relieved, but there was a strange emptiness in her chest. Maybe it was because she had spent so long fighting him, always looking over her shoulder, waiting for his next move. Now that he was gone, there was nothing left to fear—yet she couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing.
Lu Yichen stepped onto the balcony, a warm cup of tea in his hands. He placed it gently on the table beside her and sat down.
"You haven't spoken much since we got home," he said. His voice was calm, but there was concern in his eyes.
Zi Ning wrapped her hands around the warm cup, letting the heat seep into her cold fingers. "I don't know how to feel."
Lu Yichen watched her for a moment before reaching out and taking her hand in his. "You don't have to decide right away. It's normal to feel lost after everything you've been through."
She sighed. "I thought I would be happy when it was over. I thought once Guo Bao was out of my life, everything would go back to normal."
Lu Yichen's grip on her hand tightened slightly. "There is no going back to the way things were. But you have a future ahead of you. A future where no one will ever hurt you again."
Zi Ning turned to look at him, her heart swelling with warmth. Lu Yichen had been her pillar of strength through everything. No matter how bad things got, he had always been there, silently protecting her.
"You were willing to kill for me," she said quietly.
Lu Yichen's expression darkened. "I would do it again if it meant keeping you safe."
Zi Ning's chest tightened. She reached up and cupped his face, her thumb gently brushing over his cheek. "Thank you," she whispered.
A shadow flickered in his eyes. "I don't need your thanks, Zi Ning. I just want you to be happy."
She didn't reply, but her heart felt lighter than it had in a long time.
The next morning, the world was already talking.
[Breaking News: Heir of the Guo Family Dies in a Tragic Confrontation!]
[Zi Ning's Ex-Fiancé Shot Dead! Was It Self-Defense or Cold-Blooded Murder?]
[Lu Yichen: Hero or Villain?]
Paparazzi swarmed outside Lu Yichen's penthouse, hoping for a statement. His lawyers were already working to shut down any rumors, but the media wouldn't stop. The story was too big.
Zi Ning scrolled through the articles, her stomach twisting at the headlines.
"They're making it sound like we planned this," she muttered.
Lu Yichen took the phone from her hands and tossed it onto the couch. "Ignore them. They'll move on to another scandal soon."
She bit her lip. "But what if they don't?"
Lu Yichen's gaze hardened. "Let them talk. I'll handle it."
Before she could argue, his phone rang. He answered it, listening for a moment before nodding.
"Understood."
He hung up and turned to Zi Ning. "The police have officially ruled Guo Bao's death as self-defense. We won't be charged."
Zi Ning exhaled sharply, her body sagging in relief. "That's good."
Lu Yichen pulled her into his arms, resting his chin on top of her head. "It's over."
She closed her eyes, letting herself relax in his embrace.
But deep down, she knew this wasn't the end.
The entertainment industry was ruthless. There would always be people waiting to bring her down.