The golden hues of the setting sun spilled over the city skyline, bathing the Zhao family's penthouse in soft, honeyed light. Located in the heart of the city's elite district, the expansive residence perched atop a high-rise like a regal crown. Floor-to-ceiling windows lined the walls, affording panoramic views of the city below, an empire beneath their feet, one built on power, diplomacy, and legacy.
Inside the sprawling living room, everything gleamed, polished wood, marble counters, brass fixtures. A quiet luxury, neither ostentatious nor modest, but deliberate. The Zhao family had never needed to flaunt their wealth. Their name carried the weight of generations in power.
Emrys Zhao, dressed in a black mandarin-collar shirt and dark trousers, stood by the glass balcony door with a glass of wine in hand. The rim barely touched his lips, his gaze distant. The city may have changed, but some things remained exactly the same. Beneath his calm exterior, his thoughts wandered, not to the company's stock fluctuations, nor the meeting with investors next week, but to a woman who had quietly carved herself into the deepest corners of his mind.
Alexandra. Ling Yaxuan.
He hadn't seen her in over a decade. Not since she left for Singapore.
Not since she turned from the sweet, earnest girl who followed her older brother around like a shadow… into the graceful, distant woman he'd only heard of through scraps of conversation from Vincent or Adrien. And now she was back.
He had heard, of course. Not from Vincent, who kept things close to the chest, but from Rachel. His younger sister always had a way of unearthing news before it reached anyone else.
"Yaxuan's back," she had said a few days ago, her tone deliberately casual, masking her glee at the brewing storm.
His stomach had tightened at the name. He'd told himself it didn't mean anything. That the stirring in his chest was old habit. That she was Vincent's baby sister, someone he was supposed to look out for. But the truth gnawed at him.
He had somehow...fallen for her.
And that was one heck of a problem he had to deal with immediately.
Behind him, footsteps clicked across the marble floor. Emrys didn't turn.
"Dinner's ready," Rachel called out. "Stop brooding and come eat before Father starts his usual speech about punctuality."
Emrys allowed himself a small smile and followed her into the dining room.
The long mahogany table was set immaculately, as always. Silverware gleamed, dishes steamed, and the air was rich with the scent of roast duck and braised abalone. Richard Zhao sat at the head of the table, posture straight despite his age. His silver hair was combed neatly back, his diplomat's poise never once faltering. Next to him sat Vivian Wang, his step-mother, though Emrys never called her anything but "Madam Wang." Her beauty had aged well, her eyes sharp and mouth perpetually fixed in a knowing smile.
Jason Zhao, her pride and joy, took his seat across from Emrys, shoulders squared and jaw clenched in silent challenge.
"Shall we begin?" Richard Zhao's voice cut through the quiet clinking of plates.
They all nodded, the maids retreating quietly as the family began to eat.
For several minutes, the room was filled only with the muted sounds of dinner. Soft murmurs, the occasional scrape of a spoon against porcelain, Rachel's amused comments about a recent scandal among one of their society peers. Jason grunted replies, never fully engaging. Emrys said little.
Then, just as dessert was being served, Richard Zhao cleared his throat.
"I've been thinking," he began, placing his utensils down. The room stilled. Everyone knew what that tone meant.
Vivian's eyes flicked to him, one brow raised. Jason's fork paused mid-air.
"I've spoken to Leonard Ling," Richard continued. "He mentioned his daughter is back. I believe it's time we formalize an alliance between our families."
Emrys's chest constricted.
Rachel blinked. "An alliance…?"
"Yes. A marriage."
Jason set his fork down with a loud clink. "You mean her? The Ling girl?"
"She's hardly a girl now," Rachel said under her breath. "She's a doctor."
Richard ignored them both. "I believe Emrys is the natural choice."
Silence.
Then Jason laughed—sharp, incredulous. "You've got to be kidding. You'd pick him over me? I'm just as eligible. I'm closer to her in age, have the ability to understand woman and how to please them unlike someone here. What makes you think he's a better fit?"
Vivian shot him a sharp look and subtly kicked him under the table. His mouth snapped shut, eyes narrowing.
Richard's voice was cool. "Because Emrys has led the family business with integrity. Because he has connections to the Ling family already. Because he is not followed by scandals that I have to clean up constantly! Because, he is simply...better than you, son."
Vivian's lips curled into a polite smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Of course, dear. Your decision is always… well-considered."
Jason clenched his fists, seething in silence.
Emrys stared down at his plate. The taste of the osmanthus cake had long disappeared from his tongue. He should have spoken. Should have said something to stall the idea. But the room already moved on, the conversation shifting.
Later that evening, long after Richard had retired to his study and Rachel had gone to her room humming some pop tune, the tension that had been simmering finally erupted.
Vivian stood in Jason's doorway, her arms folded.
"You embarrassed yourself tonight," she said coolly.
Jason, who had just thrown his blazer across a chair, turned to face her. "He humiliated me."
Vivian stepped forward and slapped him. Not hard, but sharp enough to sting.
Jason stared at her, stunned. "What the hell—"
"Stupid boy," she hissed. "You want to overthrow Emrys and you're trying to marry some unwanted daughter from a family that barely favors her? You heard the rumors, she's stubborn, scarred by the past, doesn't even want marriage and unpleasant to the eyes."
"She's not ugly," Jason muttered.
Vivian narrowed her eyes. "Ugly or not, she is unfavored. That's worse. She will be your downfall!"
Jason said nothing, jaw twitching with rage and shame.
Then, her hand reached out. Soft, cold, and cupping his cheek like a balm after the slap. "But you're still my son. And you'll still win. We'll do it our way. Quietly. Let them think they've won the battle. We will win the war."
Jason swallowed, nodding slowly, and Vivian smiled, sharp and sweet like poison.
Down the hallway, Emrys stood near the staircase, hidden in the shadows. He'd come to get a folder from his study when he'd heard the slap. Heard the words that followed.
"Unwanted daughter… unfavored…"
The anger in his chest built slowly.
Everyone seemed to treat her like a chess piece in their little games.
She is a person with her own emotions and thought, for heaven's sake!
He turned, heading back to his room, her name echoing quietly in his mind.
Yaxuan.
Maybe it was time he made a move after all. If she was going to be sold off to the highest bidder, he will make sure he is the highest bidder and he will try his best to keep a smile on her face for the rest of her life. She will be wanted by him. Favored by him.