The name Zhang Wei hung in the air like a dagger.
Mei Xing froze, her breath catching in her throat. She had fought battles against Zhang Wei in boardrooms and on headlines, but never imagined he had taken her fight to such a personal level.
"He… took my son?" she asked, barely able to speak.
Madam Qiao nodded solemnly. "Yes. He came with legal papers, a government official, and a story I couldn't disprove. He said Jin Hao was his nephew, that you had died in childbirth, and that he was here to reunite the boy with his real family."
"But why would Zhang Wei take him?" Zhao Chen asked, eyes narrowed in suspicion. "He had no reason to care about the boy… unless—"
"Unless he knew exactly who Jin Hao was," Mei Xing finished, her voice cold with realization.
Zhang Wei must have discovered the boy's identity, perhaps through Mei Li or the same network of spies he used to launch his smear campaign. And now, he had her son—again. Not by accident, but by design.
"He's using him as leverage," Mei Xing said, her body trembling with rage. "He knew I'd eventually find the truth. And when I did, he'd have the one thing I could never walk away from."
Madam Qiao pulled out a small box. "Before he took Jin Hao, I made him a keepsake. He treasured it. I want you to have it now."
Inside was a small wooden carving—a lion and a cub, side by side. On the bottom, the name Jin Hao was etched in neat strokes.
Mei Xing clutched it tightly, her eyes brimming with tears. She could almost imagine him holding it, sleeping with it by his side, never knowing the truth about who he really was.
"We need to find out where Zhang Wei is keeping him," Zhao Chen said firmly. "If he's using him as a pawn, there must be a location—somewhere secure, somewhere hidden."
"And I'll tear it down brick by brick if I have to," Mei Xing replied with fire in her eyes.
They left Huaijin with a new mission. The search for her son wasn't just about love—it was about justice. Zhang Wei had stolen too much from her already. This time, she would not be outplayed.
Back in the city, Kai was already working on tracing Zhang Wei's properties and connections. His network combed through real estate holdings, offshore accounts, and travel records. They were closing in.
But Zhang Wei was always one step ahead. The next day, a chilling package arrived at Mei Xing's doorstep.
Inside was a photo—Jin Hao, standing beside Zhang Wei, smiling.
On the back, a handwritten note:
"Your move, Mei Xing."
Her hands shook as she held the picture. Her son was alive—but in the hands of the enemy.
And now, the game was no longer just about business.
It was a battle for blood.