The night in the city was alive.
Neon lights stretched across the streets like ribbons of color, illuminating the steady flow of cars and people. Laughter drifted from restaurants, vendors called out to passing customers, and somewhere in the distance, music played faintly.
It was a city full of life.
Full of opportunities.
Full of people chasing dreams.
But in a quiet corner, hidden from the warmth of the crowd.
Darkness lingered.
Chen Yuyang stood beneath a flickering streetlight, his figure half-shadowed against the cold concrete wall behind him.
His hands were clenched so tightly that his knuckles had turned pale.
His breathing was uneven.
And his eyes.
They burned with something dangerous.
Hatred.
Obsession.
Frustration.
Across the street, through the glass walls of the restaurant, he could see her.
Liu Meilin.
Standing calmly in the center of her restaurant.
Smiling.
Talking.
Moving with confidence like she owned the entire world.
The bright lights inside reflected off her figure, making her look… untouchable.
And beside her.
People surrounded her.
Staff who respected her.
Customers who admired her.
A world that seemed to revolve around her.
Chen Yuyang's jaw tightened.
"I hate that look…" he muttered under his breath.
That calm confidence.
That glow.
That happiness.
It wasn't supposed to belong to her.
Not after everything.
Not after everything he had done.
A Past That Refused to Die
His mind drifted back unwillingly.
Back to the village.
Back to the girl she used to be.
Dirty.
Fat.
Pathetic.
Desperate.
Chasing after men with no dignity.
The entire village had laughed at her.
Even he had looked down on her.
She was nothing.
Nothing worth noticing.
Nothing worth remembering.
And yet.
Now?
Now she stood in the middle of the city, surrounded by success, wealth, and admiration.
It didn't make sense.
It infuriated him.
"How…" he whispered, his voice trembling slightly.
"How did you become like this…?"
His nails dug into his palms.
It wasn't just her success that bothered him.
It was what she had taken.
His gaze darkened.
Lu Jianfeng.
The man he had wanted.
The man he had admired from afar.
Cold.
Handsome.
Untouchable.
A man who never gave anyone a second glance.
And yet.
That man now stood beside Liu Meilin.
Protected her.
Looked at her in ways Chen Yuyang had never been able to receive.
That alone…
Was enough to drive him insane
"I was the one who saw him first…"
His voice dropped into a whisper.
"I was the one who stayed… watched… admired…"
His breathing grew heavier.
"And yet…"
His eyes turned toward the restaurant again.
"You took him."
Completely.
As if she had simply stepped into his world and stolen everything that was meant to be his.
His chest tightened painfully.
The feeling wasn't just jealousy anymore.
It was something darker.
Something uglier.
"I won't accept this…" he muttered.
"I won't."
His thoughts turned bitter.
One after another.
Every plan he had carefully crafted…
Every move he thought would finally break her…
Failed.
The Village Incident
He had joined hands with those men.
People who held grudges.
People who wanted revenge.
People who were willing to go as far as violence.
Together, they had attacked her home.
Destroyed her family house.
Tried to force her into fear.
Into helplessness.
But what happened?
She survived.
Lucky Jianfeng took her away.
Her family stood stronger.
And somehow.
She came out even more protected than before.
The Fashion Contest Sabotage
He thought that would be the end.
If her reputation was destroyed in the city…
If she was humiliated publicly…
If she lost everything she built.
She would break.
She should have broken.
But instead?
She exposed everything.
Turned the situation around.
And crushed everyone involved.
The Restaurant Sabotage
That was supposed to be the final blow.
Contaminated ingredients.
A ruined opening.
Public scandal.
A destroyed business.
But once again.
She survived.
Not only survived.
She thrived.
The restaurant became even more popular.
People praised her.
Admired her.
Supported her.
It was as if…
Every attempt to destroy her only made her stronger.
Chen Yuyang let out a bitter laugh.
Low.
Empty.
"Every single plan…"
"…a failure."
Abandoned by Allies
His phone buzzed in his pocket.
He pulled it out slowly.
A message flashed on the screen.
"We're out. Don't contact us again."
Another message followed.
"Your ideas don't work."
And another.
"She's not someone we can deal with."
His hand tightened around the phone.
His breathing grew sharp.
"They're all running…" he muttered.
"Cowards."
The same people who once agreed to work with him…
The same people who believed they could crush Liu Meilin…
They powerful people.
Were now backing away.
Refusing to even get involved.
Because of fear.
Because of failure.
Because of her.
"She's like a ticking bomb…" he whispered.
Unpredictable.
Dangerous.
Impossible to control.
The Breaking Point
Chen Yuyang leaned his head back against the wall.
His eyes closed briefly.
But behind his eyelids.
All he saw was her.
Smiling.
Winning.
Living a life that should have never been hers.
His breathing slowed.
Then deepened.
Then steadied.
When he opened his eyes again.
The madness was still there.
But now…
It was calmer.
Colder.
More dangerous.
"If they won't help me…"
His voice dropped into a whisper.
"I'll do it myself."
His gaze shifted once more toward the restaurant.
Through the glass, he saw Liu Meilin laughing lightly at something one of the staff said.
So carefree.
So relaxed.
As if nothing in the world could touch her.
His lips curved slowly.
Not into a smile.
But into something far more unsettling.
"I'll make sure you suffer…"
The words were soft.
Almost gentle.
But filled with venom.
"You took everything from me…"
His fingers curled slowly into a fist.
"So I'll take everything from you."
His Obsession Deepens
His thoughts turned darker.
More dangerous.
More calculated.
If simple sabotage didn't work…
If public humiliation failed…
If indirect attacks only made her stronger.
Then he needed something else.
Something more personal.
More direct.
His eyes flickered with a dangerous light.
"Lu Jianfeng…"
He whispered the name softly.
The root.
The center.
The one thing Liu Meilin cared about the most.
A slow realization formed in his mind.
"If I can't destroy her…"
"…then I'll take him back."
His breathing deepened.
His lips curved slightly.
"Yes…"
"That's it."
Not business.
Not reputation.
Not money.
Something deeper.
Something emotional.
Something that would hurt her in a way nothing else could.
The Storm Ahead
The streetlight above him flickered again.
Casting shadows across his face.
For a brief moment.
He looked almost unrecognizable.
No longer just jealous.
No longer just frustrated.
But completely consumed.
Consumed by obsession.
Consumed by desire.
Consumed by the need to win.
Across the street.
Liu Meilin turned slightly, her gaze moving toward the window.
For a split second.
It felt like she could sense something.
Something off.
Something watching.
But when she looked closer.
There was nothing.
Just the city.
Just the lights.
Just the night.
Chen Yuyang had already stepped back into the shadows.
Gone.
Hidden.
Waiting.
Final Thought
From the darkness, his voice echoed faintly.
Low.
Cold.
Certain.
"This isn't over, Liu Meilin…"
"Not even close."