The rain poured relentlessly as Selina sat rigidly in Damian Lu's sleek, obsidian sports car. The interior smelled faintly of expensive leather and cold mint—just like the man himself, distant and dangerous.
"Where do you want to go?" Damian's voice cut through the silence like a sharp blade.
Selina turned her head toward the rain-streaked window, her lips trembling but her eyes hard as steel. Go? Where could she go now? To that house where her stepmother Linda would sneer at her downfall? Or back to the Jiang Corporation, where her father saw her as nothing more than a pawn for marriage alliances?
For the first time, Selina realized—she had no home.
She swallowed the bitter lump in her throat and turned to face the man beside her. His perfectly chiseled features were outlined by the faint glow of the dashboard. This man… this was the infamous Damian Lu—the cold-hearted business emperor who controlled the fate of countless corporations with a flick of his finger.
"Take me anywhere that doesn't reek of betrayal," she said, her voice raw but proud.
A dark smile tugged at Damian's lips. "Feisty. I like that."
Without another word, the car sped off into the night, the roaring engine drowning out the storm outside. Selina's fists clenched tightly on her lap. Her mind raced—if fate had given her another chance, then she would never again play the role of the helpless, naive daughter.
She would fight. She would rise. And she would make them all pay.
The car finally stopped in front of a towering skyscraper—Lu Holdings HQ. Before she could ask, Damian was already out of the car, his tall figure disappearing into the building.
Selina hesitated for a heartbeat. Then, gathering every ounce of pride, she stepped into the lion's den.
Inside his luxurious penthouse office, Damian stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the glittering city.
"You're not curious why I brought you here?" he asked without turning around.
Selina crossed her arms. "Should I be?"
He turned then, eyes dark and unreadable. "Because I like broken things…" His gaze bore into her, "…and I enjoy watching them rise, only under my control."
Selina's breath caught in her throat. This man—he wasn't offering kindness. He was offering a deal with the devil.
"And if I refuse?" she challenged.
Damian took a deliberate step closer, his voice low and dangerous. "Then you walk back into that world alone… to be crushed again and again. But if you take my hand, Selina, I'll make sure no one dares touch you ever again. Your enemies will kneel, and your name… will echo louder than theirs ever could."
Selina stared at his outstretched hand, her heart pounding wildly.
Should she trade her freedom for power? Or walk away and fight alone?