When I saw Liam again, the Wen family was ruined. I was no longer the high and mighty heiress I once was. But Liam? He was soaring, radiating raw power and confidence. It was a high-stakes game between adults, fueled by the lingering grudges of our youth, igniting the ashes of our messy past. “The former Miss Wen is so down on her luck now?” “How about you spend a night with me? I might consider investing in you.” Liam let out a short, mocking laugh, dripping with ridicule. Liam was right to hate me. After all, our breakup was a messy disaster, or rather, I unilaterally made it a disaster for him. So, it was only fair that he’d come back for revenge now. “Aria, if you’re begging, at least look the part.” Liam’s eyes, sharp and arrogant, flicked down, and he knocked the wine glass from my hand. I’d known Liam since we were teenagers, so I knew how fiercely proud he was. And I, too, used to be just as arrogant. But where was my dignity now? I picked up the glass again, refilled it, and bowed low, my posture humble, almost pleading. “Mr. Shen,” I pleaded, “what happened before… it was all my fault. Please, you’re a big man, don’t stoop to my level.” “I’m here to apologize to you. For old times’ sake…” Liam, sprawled carelessly on the opposite sofa, leaning back into the cushions, scoffed. “Old times’ sake? And you have the nerve, Miss Wen, to even bring that up?” “Is it the ‘old times’ sake’ when you treated me like a stray dog, Miss Wen? Calling me over, then kicking me out whenever you felt like it?” Meeting Liam’s calm, deep eyes, I couldn’t utter a single word in my defense. I just chugged the wine in my hand. After all, I truly had wronged him back then.
I’d known Liam since I was a little girl. I followed him around like a shadow for years, and we finally became a couple in college. But just a year into our relationship, I unilaterally broke up with him. There were no cheesy love triangles, no dramatic betrayals, no tragic illnesses forcing us apart. If I had to pick a reason for our breakup? I was just… bored. I didn’t want to be with him anymore. That day, Liam came to confront me, holding a photo of me and Alex that someone had taken. He asked if I’d betrayed him. I wanted to break up, so I didn’t deny it. I just admitted it directly. At first, Liam didn’t believe me. He hugged me tight, kissing me everywhere, his hoarse voice repeating, “I don’t believe it… I don’t believe it…” I struggled, tearing free, and slapped him across the face. “Liam, you don’t actually think I liked you, do you? Do you even know who the Wens are? What my family’s status is?” “I just found you somewhat interesting back then.” That slap shattered over a decade of his fierce pride, and it tore apart the tender affection we’d shared for just as long. Youthful impulsiveness, mixed with my own self-importance, pushed me to an irreversible point. Liam grew up with just his mother, and his family wasn’t well-off. But as a teenager, his back was always straight; he had his pride. And that slap from me? It crushed his dignity completely. He was right to hate me. Now, eight years later, we met again. Love and hate, joy and sorrow, a tangled web of desires, twisting people into grotesque versions of themselves. I was powerless, only hoping he’d finish venting and maybe, just maybe, show me a little pity. My father’s exorbitant medical bills, Linghua’s startup capital. Before these things, my dignity was worthless. I’d spent three years researching an algorithm that could profile user groups for businesses. It was faster and cheaper than any other algorithm on the market. I was confident it would be a huge hit. But without enough startup capital, Linghua couldn’t even see the light of day. The two biggest investment firms in the country were Capstone Capital and Chuyan Corp, Liam’s own company. Capstone Capital showed great interest in Linghua, but they wanted to buy out all its ownership. “Look, Aria,” the Capstone rep said, “five million for the full buyout of your algorithm? That’s not a bad deal at all.” If I hadn’t been absolutely desperate, I wouldn’t have come begging to Liam. Life had pushed me to the edge of a cliff; I had no way out. I raised my hand and slapped myself hard across the face. The sharp sound echoed in every corner of the private room. “I apologize to Mr. Shen for my foolishness back then. As long as you can calm down and help me, I’ll do anything you ask.” Liam seemed surprised I’d hit myself and froze for a moment. When he reacted, he grabbed my hand, stopping it from falling again. A flicker of annoyance crossed Liam’s handsome face, quickly replaced by a smirk. “Anything I ask? How about you spend a night with me, Miss Wen? I’ll consider it.” Liam let out a short, mocking laugh, dripping with ridicule. “Okay!” I said it, devoid of any emotion. My fingers curled behind my back, my palm aching. Liam’s malicious amusement hadn’t faded. He seemed surprised I actually agreed. Then he teased, “Looks like Miss Wen’s preference for rich men hasn’t changed all these years? Now you’re even willing to throw away your pride.” Pride? Did I even deserve to talk about pride anymore? Society and reality’s first lesson is to crush a person’s spirit and ambition.
Liam took me to one of his private clubs. It used to be my favorite. The penthouse suite was incredibly luxurious. Pushing the door open, I found people already inside. In the dim light, their faces weren’t clear, but the room’s atmosphere was intoxicatingly intimate. Someone on the sofa exhaled a cloud of smoke, a girl nestled close to him, their heads together, her soft laughter floating through the air. People at the card table also had various girls around them. When my friends and I used to come here, they’d always have girls with them too. For them, those girls were just commodities, part of a transaction. The girls had their own motives, so they willingly played their part. And now, wasn’t I doing the same? The person on the sofa recognized me and quickly made space. The people at the card table also gathered around. “Mr. Shen, a rare visit!” “The sun must have risen from the west today, our Mr. Shen actually brought a lady!” “Won’t your little darling Skylar cry her eyes out, Mr. Shen?” “I’ll text your little darling Skylar right now and tell her to come catch you in the act.” As they chatted and laughed, I remained silent, trying to make myself as invisible as possible. Liam picked up a cigarette from the table and lit it, the tip glowing and fading. Noticing his bad mood, the others quickly changed the subject. “Mr. Shen, you finally came out to play. Let’s play, let’s play, no more boring talk.” “Let’s play ‘Beauty’s Gambit.’ Perfect, since we all have ladies tonight.” “What do you think, Mr. Shen? You wouldn’t be too attached to your pretty companion, would you?” Hearing their words, I cast a pleading look at Liam. Beauty’s Gambit was a cruel game these rich guys made up. The bet? The ‘beauties’ themselves. They’d play cards, and whoever lost, their female companion had to take off a piece of clothing until there was nothing left. My pleading gaze met his calm, deep pupils, still and unmoving like ancient water. The atmosphere turned instantly dead silent. After a long moment, Liam sneered. “Fine.” My heart instantly felt like it was pierced by needles, a searing pain spreading through my limbs. Everyone, having heard Liam’s answer, had already moved to the card table. Liam and I remained on the sofa, unmoving. Liam leaned closer, his warm breath ghosting over my ear. “Didn’t Miss Wen say she’d do anything?” His dark, shining eyes watched me, a hint of playful malice dancing within them. “Mr. Shen, still whispering sweet nothings to your beauty? Come on over!” The people at the card table had already shuffled the cards, calling out to Liam. Liam took my hand and walked toward the table. As we reached the card table, the dim lights suddenly became blinding. The sofa area had been a lounge, so the lighting was deliberately soft, but the card table was brightly lit. I squinted my eyes slightly. “You… Miss Wen, what are you doing here?” Suddenly, a shocked male voice rang out. The others at the card table heard him and all turned their gaze toward me. Among them were faces I found familiar. The looks directed at me were a mix of curiosity and surprise. The atmosphere at the card table instantly became exceptionally tense. And the girls around them began to whisper. “Miss Wen? Who’s Miss Wen?” Daniel was certain he hadn’t mistaken me. Who was Miss Wen? Aria Wen, the former heiress of the Wen family, was once the most dazzling red rose in the entire city. Aria had a signature red tear mole under her right eye, and it had been a sensation across the city. Every girl wanted one, drawing red tear moles under their own eyes. She was also Liam’s teenage sweetheart. Liam’s company had stormed the city, skyrocketing to the top in just five years. During that time, he had searched for Aria countless times, sparing no expense. This was no longer a secret in the city’s high society. But about their story, Daniel had heard several versions. Some said Aria had cheated on him, breaking Liam’s heart, and he was searching for her to get revenge. Others said Liam still had feelings for her. Daniel couldn’t be sure which was true. Liam pulled me into his arms, wrapping an arm around my shoulders, his gaze sweeping over the various expressions on everyone’s faces. “What Miss Wen? The Wen family went bankrupt ages ago, didn’t they?” Liam pulled me down onto a seat at the card table, tapping the surface. “Why are you all frozen? Deal the cards.”
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