沈明吓了一跳.她看向声音的来源,她的手本能地抚摸着她的头发.
不远处,容兆南穿着浴袍站着,头发还湿漉漉的,像是刚洗完澡.他站在那里,手里拿着一根刚刚点燃的香烟.
当香烟着火时,他随手将打火机丢在茶几上,打火机撞击表面的清脆声音仿佛在沈明的心中回荡.
她知道荣兆南不是个好小玩的人.
她用毯子盖住自己,坐起来时假装惊慌失措.
"昨晚...我们..."她的声音哽咽着,仿佛快要流泪了.
她哭了一会儿,然后抱住膝盖,开始不受控制地抽泣.
"你...你这个强奸犯!
她一边哭一边不停地听着周围的任何动静.
她听到他向她走来.
三秒钟后,他坐在床沿.烟雾在他周围盘旋,他低沉而响亮的声音打破了寂静.
"抬头看."
沈明仍然紧紧抓住她的手臂,抬头看着他.她的眼睛,就像一只受惊的鹿的眼睛,闪耀着未流下的泪水,她惊慌地抬起头来.
出乎意料的是,她的目光与他强烈而冰冷的目光相遇.
他弹掉了香烟上的灰烬.
他端详着她苍白无辜的脸庞.
"昨晚是你第一次来吗?"
沈明那双杏仁状的大眼睛里又充满了泪水,仿佛承受不住这种痛苦.
她的声音很轻柔,几乎淹没在悲伤中.
"荣先生,没想到你会做出这种事情.如果你想起诉我,我会反击,但你...你竟然采取了这种卑鄙的手段.
荣兆南轻笑.
他,荣家的继承人,拥有一切——他没有哪个女人呢?
他的笑声像雨后的露水一样清爽,清脆而轻盈.
"你觉得昨晚是故意的?"
沈明的眼泪自由流淌,聚集成大滴,顺着她的脸颊滑落.
就连她的哭声也显得有些优雅.
"不然,荣先生,我只是一个普通人.求求你,放我走..."
荣兆南久久地看了她一眼.
这个突然强加在她身上的阴谋——霸道少爷强行娶了一个普通的女孩.
这简直是荒谬的.
"你不配."他的声音缓慢而冰冷.
Shen Ming widened her eyes, seemingly shocked, as if his words had left her disoriented.
Looking into her eyes, he spoke with an icy calm.
"Your face isn't worth me going through all this trouble."
He stood up, his movements sharp and composed.
Leaving her with nothing but his cold back.
"The compensation you're owed won't be less. Afterward, remember to contact Assistant Zhuo."
He soon disappeared into the room to change.
As soon as he left, Shen Ming quickly wiped away the last traces of her tearful act. When she looked up again, there was no sign of panic on her face.
Her expression was as calm as still water.
Her eyes gleamed with a sharp, calculating light, as if she had just succeeded in her plan.
Three days later, Lain received a new lawyer's letter. He passed the information on to Shen Ming, visibly shocked.
"What's going on? Mr. Rong withdrew the lawsuit."
Shen Ming wasn't surprised. She had anticipated this outcome.
But then came another challenge.
Lain continued, "President Shen, that night at the gala, you left halfway through. Mr. Ning seemed upset, and he's asking to meet you at the hospital where Vice President Cheng is recovering."
It seemed that Mr. Ning was pulling out his investment, but this time, it was happening a few days later than expected.
Could something have happened in between?
Lain went on, "Mr. Ning also said that if you don't show up, not only will he withdraw his investment, but he'll also make it impossible for you to stay in Haishi."
Shen Ming turned to look at her assistant, sensing the severity of the situation. Her eyes narrowed, releasing a quiet, cold aura.
When she first started the company, she had been weak and vulnerable, constantly held back. As it stood, she was no match for Ning Zhijian.
Reluctantly, she agreed to go to the hospital with her assistant.
The hospital was the same one where she had been sent after her car accident. She had been there many times, but this time, it was different. Now, she was meeting Ning Zhijian face-to-face.
His reputation didn't match the reality in front of her.
Ning Zhijian, heir to the Ning family, a prominent figure who controlled Haishi's largest land and sea industries, was known for his reckless, domineering style. His approach to business was ruthless, and he was someone not to be underestimated.
She had known him for many years and had learned how to read him.
But today, he seemed... a little more immature than usual.
Without saying much, Ning Zhijian demanded, "Apologize to Cheng Anyi."
His words were filled with commanding pressure, trying to force her into submission.
If this had been before, she would have gritted her teeth and complied.
But not this time.
"Why should I apologize? What did Cheng Anyi do that you don't know?"
The two of them were arguing in front of the hospital room, and just then, the door opened.
Cheng Anyi, dressed in a hospital gown with a neck brace, appeared. She looked frail, as though she had overheard their conversation.
"Mr. Ning," she gasped, struggling for breath, "Mingming is still upset with me. I've already apologized for the A University project. I understand why she's angry, and I'm sorry, but Mr. Ning, it's in the past now. The doctor said with another half-month of recovery, I'll be fine."
Cheng Anyi wasn't just physically hurt; she had fallen down the stairs. Not many could survive that kind of fall.
Ning Zhijian's face darkened, and his voice became more intense.
"You dared to push her for something like that? Shen Ming, I'm telling you again, apologize to her."
Shen Ming casually leaned against the wall, brushing her hair back.
"Mr. Ning, get your facts straight. Who says I pushed her? Do you have evidence? Or are you just taking her word for it? If I say that the car accident was arranged by her, would you believe that too?"
"Shen Ming!" Cheng Anyi's eyes widened in shock.
Shen Ming glanced at her, calm and unhurried.
"Who said I'm angry because she messed up the A University project? Mr. Ning, before you make accusations, maybe you should check the company's books. Cheng Anyi has already emptied a third of my accounts. She took the money. Instead of standing here arguing, shouldn't I call the police first?"
She laid it all out for him.
Ning Zhijian furrowed his brows deeply.
He had always been sharp, and after two seconds, he finally admitted, "You figured it out. It was me who asked Cheng Anyi to do it."
Shen Ming stopped fiddling with her hair, lowered her hand, and stood up straight.
She looked at Ning Zhijian, then turned to Cheng Anyi.
Their faces told her the truth—this wasn't a lie.
Her anger flared slowly, inch by inch.
"Ning Zhijian, this company is your investment. What's your game with emptying the accounts?"
This kind of trick was his specialty.
Since she had figured it out, there was no harm in him admitting it.
"This little company of yours isn't making enough profit. If I didn't do this, how could I pull out my investment? Apologize to Cheng Anyi, while I still have patience."
Shen Ming lifted her head, looking at him coolly.
"And if I refuse to apologize?"