It was raining diamonds—at least, that's what the invitation said.
A glitzy launch party for Qin Corporation's latest luxury brand, hosted at the city's most exclusive rooftop venue. Cameras everywhere. CEOs, influencers, and sharks in designer heels.
And in walked Liana Zhou, arm-in-arm with Damon Qin.
The gasp that rippled through the room was delicious.
She wore blood-red silk, same shade as the dress she'd died in. Hair sleek, neckline lethal, heels sharp enough to kill if aimed right.
Damon was in black. Always the villain in tailored threads.
The photographers swarmed them like flies on gold.
"Mr. Qin! Miss Zhou! Are the rumors true—?"
"Are you really engaged again?"
"Liana, how does it feel to be back on his arm?"
She smiled coolly. "Exactly like it sounds."
Damon chuckled, pretending not to flinch at the subtle jab. "We're taking things slow this time."
Liana added, "Contracts before vows. Lessons learned."
Flashbulbs popped. Bloodless war played out on her lips.
And then—
Enter Shen Ruoyi.
The crowd parted like gossiping seaweed around a rock.
She strutted in late, wrapped in gold satin and self-importance, every inch of her screaming I'm still relevant. Her arm candy: a desperate-looking socialite cousin from the Shen clan.
Her gaze locked on Liana, flickered to Damon, then settled back on Liana.
"Back from the dead, I see," Shen said with a sugar-sweet smile.
Liana tilted her head. "Some weeds are hard to kill. Especially the ones that bloom in blood."
Damon made a small sound in his throat—whether amusement or alarm, it was unclear.
Ruoyi leaned closer, still smiling. "I thought you'd retired from public humiliation."
"I have," Liana said lightly. "But I hear you've taken over in my absence. Must be exhausting, always being the punchline."
Ruoyi's smile wavered.
That was the first face-slap. No fingers needed.
Scene shift: Balcony Overlooking the City – Later That Evening
Ruoyi cornered Damon with a glass of champagne and a hand on his arm.
"She's using you," she whispered, all breath and desperation.
He turned to her, jaw sharp. "Like you didn't?"
Her grip faltered. "You said she was a placeholder."
He glanced back through the glass doors, where Liana was now talking with the CFO—Mr. Gao—and laughing like a woman who owned the floor beneath her.
"I was wrong," he said.
That made Ruoyi panic. And when she panicked, she made mistakes.
"She's dangerous."
He smirked. "So am I."
Scene shift: Event Hallway – End of Night
Liana passed Ruoyi near the coatroom. No one around. Silence. Only the drip of rain on the windows.
"You think this ends with a dress and a diamond?" Ruoyi hissed.
Liana paused. "Oh no," she said quietly, not turning. "It ends with a funeral. I just haven't picked the casket yet."
Ruoyi's breath caught.
Liana turned, smiling with zero warmth. "But if you'd like to lie in one, I can make room."
Scene shift: Damon's Car – Driving Home
"You enjoyed that," Damon said.
"I enjoy many things," she replied, staring out the window. "Roses. Chess. Watching rats squirm."
He looked at her like she was a puzzle written in Latin and blood.
"You've really changed."
She smiled without looking at him. "You keep saying that."
"It worries me."
"Good."
Final scene: Liana's Apartment – 2:12 a.m.
She opened her laptop.
The woman from Chapter 2—the mystery informant—had emailed the USB contents. Surveillance photos. Financial transfers. Audio recordings.
One stood out.
Shen Ruoyi's voice.
> "I don't care what it takes. Make it look like an accident. If Liana Zhou dies, Damon will finally be mine."
Liana stared at the screen.
Then she hit "Save."
Then she hit "Forward."
To herself.
And to one very specific media contact with a love for scandal.
The headline was already forming in her mind.
"CEO's Fiancée Targeted in Murder Plot—Guess Who?"
Liana shut her laptop.
"Let the rats eat each other."