Chapter 322: Don’t keep me waiting for long
Everyone in the company knew him as "Businessman Zhou," a man of wealth, authority, and connections too deeply rooted to be shaken. But those who had dealt with him closely also knew his gaze lingered too long where it shouldn’t.
His wife was well-established in society, his son was abroad studying, yet his reputation was tainted by whispers in the corridors—of women he had kept, of favors exchanged behind locked doors, of contracts signed with stains invisible to the eye.
Now, standing before Hua Ling, the glimmer in his eyes was unmistakable.
"Well, well," his voice was smooth, but the undertone was heavy, almost oily. "If it isn’t our flower finally blooming again. Tell me... Hua Ling, has it been long since Hua Jing woke up?"
The words fell casually, but Hua Ling instantly stiffened. The moment he mentioned Hua Jing’s name, his gaze sharpened, turning lecherous, sliding over every syllable like a man savoring forbidden fruit.
Hua Ling’s face faltered for a fraction of a second. She knew what he was implying, and though the dissatisfaction that had clouded her heart moments ago was strong, it vanished like smoke in the wind. A woman like her could not afford to burn bridges with a man like him—not when her own ambitions were stacked on fragile cards.
Composing herself quickly, she lowered her lashes and let a faintly pitiful smile appear on her lips.
"How could I speak of it?" she whispered, her tone soft, the image of a tender sister. "Jing-jie was in a coma for so long. For months, we feared she would never wake. And only now... only now, after long recuperation, is she finally regaining strength. We were careful not to disturb her recovery. I... I only wanted to protect her."
She lied quite smoothly but deep down she wished Hua Jing had not woken up from that coma!
Mr. Zhou tilted his head, nodding slowly as though the explanation satisfied him. His gaze, however, never softened. It roved over Hua Ling’s dolled-up face, the elegant gown that clung to her frame, the false innocence she wore like perfume.
"Mm," he hummed. "A dutiful sister. Very admirable."
If others had heard his tone, they might have mistaken it for genuine approval, but Hua Ling knew better. His approval had nothing to do with her sisterly loyalty. It had everything to do with the dark thoughts swirling in his head.
She seized the chance, her own eyes flashing with calculation though her smile remained demure. "Did you perhaps... want to speak with her privately, Mr. Zhou?" she asked smoothly.
The man’s eyes flickered—surprise, then delight, then a greedy glint that made Hua Ling’s stomach turn. He leaned closer, his cologne sharp in the air.
"You would arrange that for me?" he asked, voice low.
Hua Ling’s lips curved into what outsiders might call a gentle smile. But behind it was steel. "Of course. You have always supported me. If it is your wish, I will ensure the opportunity arises. My sister... she is recovering. She will need people around her, people who can... guide her back into the world. Who better than you, Mr. Zhou?"
The man chuckled, a sound that made the hairs on her arms stand. "You are quick-witted, Ling. Very quick. I like that."
His hand, too familiar, lingered for a second too long on her arm before sliding away. "If you succeed," he added, his voice dripping with promise, "then that Floral Beauty endorsement you’ve been eyeing—it will be yours. The board respects my word."
The words should have thrilled her, should have filled Hua Ling with the joy of victory, but instead—her smile stiffened.
For months, she had chased that endorsement. Floral Beauty was one of the most prestigious contracts of the year, the kind of deal that could make a celebrity the darling of every magazine cover. She had lobbied, begged, twisted strings, but Zhou had always been cold, dismissive.
And now? Now he was offering it to her—not because of her own merit, not because of her efforts, not because she was Hua Ling. But because of Hua Jing.
Her fingers curled tightly around her clutch. A shadow passed over her eyes, dark and ugly. Why is it always her?
Everywhere she turned, it was always Hua Jing. Hua Jing’s name that stirred the fans into madness. Hua Jing’s face that the reporters swarmed to capture. Hua Jing’s existence that made powerful men soften and bend. And now, even the contract Hua Ling had dreamt of for so long was being handed to her like a leftover—because of Hua Jing.
Why? Why is it always you?
The anger bubbled hot in her chest, but she swallowed it down, forcing it back beneath the surface. Zhou was not a man she could afford to cross. A single misstep, and her career could crumble before she even took her next breath.
So she smiled.
A delicate, obedient smile that curved her lips but refused to touch her eyes. Her gaze was icy beneath the mask of warmth, but Zhou, blinded by his own desire, didn’t see. He only saw the demure, beautiful woman standing before him, ready to hand over her sister like a lamb for slaughter.
"Then I will not disappoint you," Hua Ling said, her tone soft, her gaze lowered in a mask of obedience. But in the depths of her pupils, triumph gleamed cold and sharp.
Mr. Zhou gave a satisfied nod. "Good. Very good. I will be waiting. And Hua Ling..."
He leaned closer, his breath hot against her ear. "Do not keep me waiting long. I’ve long since grown... impatient."
Hua Ling forced herself not to recoil, her nails digging into her palm under the folds of her gown. Her smile never wavered. "Of course, Mr. Zhou. It won’t be long."
When he finally walked away, his shoulders square and his pride inflated, Hua Ling’s expression slipped for just a second. Her smile twisted, curdling into something darker, colder.
She had just been thinking of how best to deal with Hua Jing, who knew that such an opportunity would come knocking!
