A faint whiff of cologne drifted to her nostrils, making her heart flutter with a mix of anger and vulnerability. The events of last night flickered vaguely through her mind again. Remembering the bloodstains on the sheets, Zhong Wanqiu could no longer hold back her contempt and pain. A man who dared not admit what he had done truly deserved her disdain. With her back turned to the man behind her, she blurted out without a second thought, “Leng Muxun, I despise you. You dare not admit what you did, you’re nothing but a coward.” Having said that, she prepared to leave, as if a dog had merely bitten her.
But she had only taken one step when her body was abruptly pulled back and forcefully turned around. The man’s voice came low and deep, “Zhong Wanqiu, what did you say? Repeat it.”
Holding her head high, she was unafraid of him. Though she was poor, she still had her own dignity. “Leng Muxun, I despise you.”
“Not that part, the part after that.” His gaze was icy, as if he wanted to kill, sending a chill through her. The threat in his voice made her feel a rising sense of dread and vulnerability.
“You dare not admit what you did, you’re nothing but a coward.” She repeated disdainfully, her cold, proud eyes filled with contempt, yet inside, a tumult of doubt and shame churned. Her mind raced, questioning whether her anger was justified or if her pain was blinding her judgment.
“What did I do that I dare not admit?”
“You took my first time.” Seeing his arrogant demeanor, which showed no intention of admitting anything, Zhong Wanqiu impulsively spat out the words in a fit of anger.
“Is that so? What evidence do you have?” A slow smile crept into the man’s eyes. “Zhong Wanqiu, I never expected you to have so many tricks up your sleeve. This is quite surprising.”
With a swift motion, Zhong Wanqiu’s hand flew toward Leng Muxun without a second thought, so sudden and unexpected. But as fast as she was, Leng Muxun was faster. “Woman, this move of yours is rather cliché,” he remarked. Pulling a walkie-talkie from his pocket, he said, “Send security to the top floor.”
Her wrist was gripped tightly in his hand. His strength was immense, squeezing her to the point of pain, causing her fingers to tremble slightly. Tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision. She had truly provoked the wrong person. Yesterday had been an unlucky day for her: not only had her boyfriend cheated on her, but she had also encountered a demon.
“Don’t think tears will make me let you go, Zhong Wanqiu. I’m going to sue you for defamation.”
Gritting her teeth, she forced back the tears. She would not cry. “Fine, I’ll go back to the hotel right now. Don’t you dare try to destroy the evidence; the bloodstains on the bed are solid proof.”
“Blood?” His grip on her hand loosened slightly. He looked at her with a probing, thoughtful gaze, then suddenly laughed. “So that’s what this is about. Come with me to the office.” His hand, which had just released her, seized her again, dragging her firmly into his office. As they passed through the outer secretary’s area, she noticed the secretary staring at her in astonishment. Perhaps she was the first woman Leng Muxun had ever dragged into his office.
“Bang.” The door closed behind them.
Without a word, Leng Muxun settled into his office swivel chair, pulled a check from the drawer, and swiftly wrote five digits with a pen: ‘1’ followed by five ‘0’s. He then handed it to Zhong Wanqiu, who stood there dazed and still unable to grasp the situation.
One hundred thousand. She instinctively glanced down, her mind racing. Was this for real? Was this his way of giving her hush money or a silence fee? The sudden sum left her feeling stunned and betrayed, unsure of his true intentions.
She was utterly confused.
Seeing her lack of response, he grabbed her hand and forced the check into her palm. Then, picking up the internal phone, he said, “Lawyer Wu, come to my office.”
The moment she heard the word “lawyer,” Zhong Wanqiu understood he truly intended to use money to fulfill what he called “taking responsibility.”