And here I was, the only person in this room who knew exactly what had happened in my past life.
I stopped in front of Damon, raising my champagne glass slightly. "Quite the serious conversation for a party, Mr. Zichen," I said, my voice smooth, laced with amusement.
Daniel's head snapped toward me, his sharp gaze assessing. Caleb looked equally surprised, as if startled that I had dared to approach.
Damon?
He simply stared.
His dark eyes traced my face, then slowly drifted downward—not in lust, but in calculation.
He was analyzing me.
Interesting.
His fingers tapped once against his glass. "And you are?" His voice was deep, smooth, carrying a weight that could silence an entire room.
I smirked, tilting my head slightly. "Someone you'll want to remember."
Daniel scoffed under his breath, amused by my confidence, but Damon?
Damon just watched.
Caleb cleared his throat. "Miss Jing," he said carefully, clearly recognizing me now. Ah. So he knew my ruined reputation.
Good. That made this even more entertaining.
I took another sip of my champagne, then lowered my voice just enough for only Damon to hear.
"I wouldn't be in such a relaxed setting if I were you, Mr. Zichen," I murmured, my voice light but deliberate. "Not when your enemies are currently trying to unmask a certain… legend."
The air shifted.
Damon's fingers, which had been idly swirling his drink, stilled.
Daniel's posture tensed. Caleb's eyes widened slightly.
But Damon? He didn't react. He simply lifted his gaze, locking onto mine, as if trying to see through me.
"And what legend would that be?" he asked, his voice as calm as ever.
I smiled, pretending to take another sip of my drink, though my eyes never left his. "The kind that wears a mask."
A single beat of silence.
Then, without breaking eye contact, Damon tilted his glass slightly toward me.
Interesting.
He was testing me.
Fine. I would play along.
I turned slightly, my gaze drifting over the glittering crowd below us. "It's funny," I mused. "People always assume power is about money, reputation, and strength. But true power is knowing what happens before it does."
Daniel's eyes narrowed slightly. Caleb looked between me and Damon, his expression cautious.
Damon?
He finally spoke.
"And what is it you think you know, Miss Jing?"
I lowered my glass, leaned in just slightly, and whispered:
"That you should check your encrypted servers again."
This time, Damon reacted.
It was subtle—a flicker in his eyes, a slight shift in his breathing—but I saw it.
I stepped back before he could respond, my lips curving into an amused smirk. "Enjoy your evening, Mr. Zichen."
Then I turned and walked away, my heart pounding not in fear—but in excitement.
I didn't need to see Damon's expression to know that I had successfully caught his attention.