Zi Ning walked out of the Zi family mansion, her heels clicking softly against the marble steps. The cold air brushed against her skin, but she hardly felt it. Her heart was still racing from the meeting with Old Madam Zi. She had won the first battle—being placed directly under her grandmother's watchful eye was no small thing. But she knew Zi Yue would not sit still.
As her car pulled away from the grand estate, her phone buzzed again. Another message from Lu Yichen.
"Meet me at the Lu Group. We need to talk."
Zi Ning leaned back in her seat, her expression calm, but her mind was already calculating. If Lu Yichen said it was urgent, it meant something big was happening.
Half an hour later, she stepped into the towering Lu Group headquarters. The sleek glass walls reflected the city skyline, a reminder of the immense power the Lu family held. The receptionist immediately recognized her and led her to the private elevator.
When she entered Lu Yichen's office, the atmosphere was tense. He stood by the window, his tall figure framed by the city lights. His face was calm, but his eyes were cold.
"You came quickly," he said, turning to face her.
"I knew it was serious," Zi Ning replied. "What happened?"
Lu Yichen walked over to his desk and handed her a tablet. On the screen was a news article with a bold headline:
"Zi Ning: Illegitimate Heiress or Calculating Opportunist?"
Her stomach twisted as she skimmed the article. It painted her as a gold-digger, suggesting she had schemed her way back into the Zi family to steal the inheritance. Anonymous sources claimed she had a "dark past," filled with scandals waiting to be uncovered.
"This came out less than an hour after you left the mansion," Lu Yichen said, his voice cold. "Zi Yue isn't wasting any time."
Zi Ning's fingers tightened around the tablet. She knew Zi Yue was cruel, but this was faster and more vicious than she expected. "She wants to destroy my reputation before I can gain any real power," she said quietly.
"She's scared," Lu Yichen replied. "Scared because she knows you're a threat."
Zi Ning's jaw clenched. "I won't let her win."
"You won't," Lu Yichen said firmly. "I've already sent my team to trace the sources. It won't be hard to connect them back to her."
Zi Ning shook her head. "Exposing her directly won't work. She's too careful. Besides, my position is still weak—I can't afford to look like I'm starting a family feud."
Lu Yichen's lips curled into a cold smile. "Then what do you plan to do?"
Zi Ning's eyes gleamed with determination. "I'll let her think she's winning. But while she's busy celebrating, I'll strike where she least expects it."
The next day, the scandal spread like wildfire. Social media was filled with gossip. Every comment questioned her motives, her background, even her relationship with Lu Yichen.
"Isn't she just a small-time actress?"
"She must be really good at seducing powerful men."
"No wonder Zi Yue never liked her. She's clearly after money."
Zi Ning sat in her office at the Lu Group, reading through the hateful comments. Each one felt like a knife, but she didn't flinch. This wasn't the first time people tried to drag her down—and it wouldn't be the last.
A knock on the door pulled her from her thoughts. She looked up to see Xu Wei, one of Lu Yichen's most trusted assistants.
"Miss Zi," he greeted respectfully, handing her a folder. "This is the information you requested."
Zi Ning took the folder and flipped it open. Inside were detailed reports on Zi Yue's recent activities—secret meetings, hidden bank transfers, and a mysterious new contact: Jiang Tian.
"Who is he?" Zi Ning asked, her brow furrowing.
"Jiang Tian runs a media company specializing in scandals and celebrity gossip," Xu Wei explained. "He has a reputation for being ruthless. If someone wants to ruin a public figure, he's the man they hire."
Zi Ning's eyes narrowed. "So, Zi Yue hired him to destroy me."
"Most likely," Xu Wei confirmed.
Zi Ning closed the folder. "Find out everything you can about Jiang Tian—his weaknesses, his secrets, everything. If he's working with Zi Yue, I want to know what they're planning next."
Xu Wei nodded and left without another word.
That evening, Zi Ning met with Lu Yichen at a private lounge. The low lighting cast shadows across the plush leather seats. He poured her a glass of wine, watching her carefully.
"You're calm," he noted.
"I don't have the luxury of panicking," Zi Ning replied smoothly. "If I fall apart now, Zi Yue wins."
Lu Yichen leaned back, his gaze unreadable. "What's your next move?"
Zi Ning sipped her wine, her lips curving into a cold smile. "Jiang Tian may be good at digging up dirt—but no one is untouchable. Once we find his weakness, I'll make sure he regrets ever working against me."
Lu Yichen's eyes glinted with approval. "You're more ruthless than I thought."
"I learned from the best," Zi Ning said, meeting his gaze.
For a moment, the air between them crackled with tension. But before either of them could speak, Lu Yichen's phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, his expression darkening.
"It's Xu Wei," he said, answering the call. "What did you find?"
Zi Ning watched as his face grew colder with every word. When he finally hung up, his jaw was tight.
"Jiang Tian is planning to release a fake story tomorrow," Lu Yichen said. "He's claiming you were involved with a married man in the past."
Zi Ning's stomach turned, but her face remained calm. "And let me guess—Zi Yue will play the innocent victim, claiming she's only trying to protect the family's name."
"Exactly," Lu Yichen confirmed.
Zi Ning set down her glass, her voice cold and steady. "Then it's time to destroy both of them."
By midnight, Xu Wei returned with a thick file. Zi Ning flipped through it, her heart pounding as she read the details. Jiang Tian had a mistress—a young actress who had been secretly supporting his company with money from a powerful investor.
Lu Yichen leaned over her shoulder, his lips curling into a cruel smile. "If this comes out, his entire career will be over."
Zi Ning closed the file with a soft snap. "Leak it."
"Consider it done," Lu Yichen said, already sending the order.
Zi Ning's eyes burned with fierce determination. Zi Yue wanted to play dirty—fine. But she would learn the hard way that some people couldn't be pushed around.
By morning, the headlines had changed. Instead of rumors about Zi Ning, the media was flooded with Jiang Tian's scandal. His mistress's identity was revealed, along with evidence of illegal business dealings.
Jiang Tian's company was in chaos, and his reputation was destroyed.
Zi Ning smiled coldly as she read the news. "Your move, Zi Yue."