Night had fallen over the capital, its skyline glittering with glass towers and ambition. The Chen Group's private floor in their temporary headquarters glowed faintly with light — the brothers hadn't gone home.
Inside the office, the tension was a living thing.
Stacks of reports covered the table — stock fluctuations, media clippings, and Li Group's latest partnership bids. The air smelled of coffee and exhaustion.
Chen Wei, the eldest, stood by the window, his reflection mirrored against the city lights. He didn't speak at first. His gaze was fixed on the glowing skyline — Li Group's towering building just a few blocks away.
Finally, he turned. "They've noticed her."
Chen Heo looked up from his laptop, tone sharp. "Li Wei sent men to her shop. That's not coincidence. He knows her face."
"Knows, or suspects?" Chen Lu asked, leaning back in his chair, spinning a pen between his fingers. "Because if he knew, the media would've been all over her by now."
Wei's expression stayed calm. "He's testing the waters. But I won't wait for him to strike."
---
Heo tapped his keyboard rapidly. The large screen on the wall lit up — charts, graphs, and corporate links connecting Li Group, Golden Spoon's sponsors, and several luxury jewelry chains.
"Li Wei's been quietly acquiring luxury design brands these past months," Heo explained. "Now suddenly, he's trying to approach a small designer — Xu Ling's studio. There's only one reason he'd look down that far."
"To find someone," Wei finished.
Lu smirked. "And if he does?"
Wei's eyes hardened. "He won't."
The air shifted. Every brother understood the tone. This wasn't just protection — it was declaration.
By midnight, Chen Heo was already on the move.
He wasn't like his brothers — he didn't do meetings. He did fieldwork. The quiet one, the shadow among the powerful.
His car stopped in front of Golden Link Media, one of Li Group's partner companies. Inside, employees still worked overtime — unaware that their computers were being quietly mirrored from a private line two floors below.
Heo's voice was calm over the earpiece. "I want every trace of Li Wei's private correspondence this week. Especially contracts related to jewelry, fashion, or small-scale art exhibitions."
The tech operative beside him nodded, typing fast. "Already digging, sir. Looks like he's planning a private exhibition next month. Title: Eternal Grace."
Heo's eyes narrowed. "And the main designer?"
"Name hasn't been announced yet."
Heo leaned back, arms crossed. "It's her."
---
At the Wang Estate — the Same Night
Meanwhile, Wang Zheng sat alone in his study, reviewing market reports. His business instincts tingled — something was shifting in the air.
When his assistant entered, Wang didn't look up. "Status on Ling Atelier?"
"All clear for now, sir. But there's chatter in the capital. Li Group has begun showing interest in rising designers. They sent representatives to several independent studios this week."
Wang Zheng's eyes lifted slowly. "Including hers?"
"Yes."
He closed the laptop with a snap. "Block every possible deal that has Li Group's name on it. I don't care what it costs."
The assistant hesitated. "Won't that cause attention?"
Wang's voice dropped, quiet but dangerous. "Let them wonder."
He leaned back in his chair, jaw tight. His mind went to Xu Ling's calm smile, her delicate hands stringing gemstones. She wanted a quiet life — but quiet was a luxury the powerful never kept.
---
Chen Group — Next Morning
By sunrise, all three Chen brothers were back in the boardroom.
Heo dropped a printed document on the table. "Li Group is planning to host the Eternal Grace Exhibition under the pretext of promoting new talent. But this—" he pointed at the paper "—isn't about art. It's bait."
Wei's expression didn't change. "For her."
Lu frowned. "So what's the plan? Confront Li Wei directly? Or buy the event out from under him?"
Wei shook his head. "Neither. We move silently."
He walked to the digital map on the wall. "We'll acquire the hosting company — Golden Frame Events. It's under Li Group's indirect control. Once we take it, we'll have access to every guest list, contract, and submission."
Lu grinned. "Smart. We control the stage before he even steps on it."
Heo's tone was calm. "She won't even know we're protecting her."
Wei looked out the window again — toward the part of the city where Xu Ling's jewelry shop stood.
"That's how it should be," he said softly. "She's built peace with her own hands. We'll keep it that way… until she's ready to know who she truly is."
---
Later That Day — At the Exhibition Office
Inside the Golden Frame offices, chaos erupted when the news broke:
Chen Group had officially acquired the company overnight.
The executives were stunned — a silent corporate strike. Within hours, all of Li Group's contracts were frozen pending "review."
Back at the Chen building, Heo received a text confirmation.
He smiled faintly — the first in days.
"The bait's ours now," he murmured.
Lu leaned against the table, sipping coffee. "Li Wei's going to lose his mind when he finds out we've cut his strings."
Wei gave a short nod. "Good. Let him rage. The longer he searches, the more mistakes he'll make. And when he's desperate enough… we'll be there."
-
Oblivious to the war raging around her, Xu Ling spent the afternoon teaching Mei how to polish silver properly. The twins had just returned from school, their laughter filling the studio.
"Mommy, Teacher said my bracelet is the prettiest!" Yuze announced proudly.
Tianming added with a grin, "She said mine sparkles like Daddy's watch!"
Xu Ling laughed softly, brushing their hair aside. "Then we'll make new ones together this weekend."
Outside, the city buzzed. Inside, life felt perfect — at least for now.
None of them knew that three men, miles away, were quietly rewriting the rules of the capital just to keep that peace intact.
And far above, on the 88th floor of Li Group Tower, Li Wei stared at his darkened phone, realizing something had shifted overnight.
His voice was sharp as he called his assistant.
"Who approved the Chen Group's acquisition of Golden Frame?"
The assistant stuttered. "Sir, it was finalized before dawn. We tried to stop it—"
Li Wei's fist clenched.
"Then find out why the Chen family suddenly cares about art."