*Chapter 27: The Heirs' Arena*
One weekend, Zhao Liang and his friends attended a gala — the kind where heirs, CEOs, and socialites circled like predators dressed in silk.
Li Xue and Mei Yan accompanied them, though both felt like outsiders in the glittering room.
"Look around," the hotelier whispered with a grin. "Half of these men are bankrupt; the other half are too proud to admit it."
The investor smirked. "And yet they'll still bow when Zhao walks in. That's the difference."
Li Xue noticed it — the way people glanced at Zhao Liang, whispered behind hands, stepped carefully around him. He was respected, feared, but not loved. Never loved.
Mei Yan, meanwhile, found herself cornered by a businesswoman twice her age, who interrogated her about her career. "So, what do you do, young lady?"
Before she could stammer out an answer, the investor swooped in, smoothly taking her hand. "She's with me. Isn't that enough?"
Mei Yan rolled her eyes, but her flushed cheeks betrayed her.
From the other side of the hall, Zhao Liang's gaze followed Li Xue as she politely endured small talk. When a man leaned too close, Zhao Liang's hand shot out, pulling her to his side with icy precision.
"She's not available," he said flatly, his arm tightening possessively.
The man quickly retreated, but Li Xue's heart raced for a different reason. Was it protection… or just control?