*Chapter 7: Sparks and Shadows*
The afternoon sun slipped through the curtains, scattering golden light across the penthouse. Mei Yan had made herself comfortable at the dining table, her laughter filling the room as Zhao Liang's friends traded jabs with her.
"So," the mischievous one leaned forward, grin widening, "are all Li Xue's friends this sharp-tongued, or are you the special edition?"
Mei Yan smirked. "Special edition. Limited, actually. And trust me, you couldn't afford me."
The other friend let out a bark of laughter, slapping the table. "Finally! Someone who can shut him up."
Li Xue watched them with quiet relief. For the first time, the suffocating walls of the penthouse felt a little less heavy, the silence replaced by bickering that carried no malice. Yet even as warmth flickered around her, her eyes drifted toward Zhao Liang.
He sat apart, half-turned away, his jaw tense as if the sound of laughter grated on his nerves. His gaze, cold and distant, lingered on her for a fleeting moment before darting away.
When Mei Yan excused herself to the balcony, one of the friends leaned closer to Li Xue. "He's cruel, isn't he? Don't bother hiding it. We see more than he thinks."
Her breath caught, but she forced a smile. "It's… complicated."
"Complicated is just another word for painful," he muttered, his voice stripped of its usual teasing.
Before Li Xue could respond, Zhao Liang's voice cut through the air, low and sharp. "Stop meddling."
The room went still. His glare was directed at his friends, but Li Xue felt the sting of it deep in her chest.
Mei Yan returned just in time to sense the tension. She slipped her hand into Li Xue's under the table, squeezing it gently. For the first time, Li Xue realized how fragile her resolve truly was — and how dangerous the storm within Zhao Liang might become.