The grand gala was more than just an event it was a battlefield, and Lin Xinyi knew she was walking straight into the fire.
The moment she stepped into the venue, all eyes turned to her. The chandeliers above cast a golden glow over the luxurious ballroom, filled with the elite of the business world powerful men in crisp suits, women in designer gowns, and socialites who lived for gossip.
But none of them mattered.
Because he was here.
Chen Wei stood at the center of the room, dressed in a sleek black suit that hugged his tall frame perfectly. He exuded raw power, a presence so commanding that the crowd unconsciously parted for him. He looked like a king surveying his kingdom.
And she was his queen at least for tonight.
Xinyi swallowed hard, forcing herself to hold her head high as she walked toward him. Every step she took felt like a test, a challenge to see if she was worthy of standing next to him.
Chen Wei's dark eyes flickered with something unreadable as she stopped beside him. Without a word, he reached for her hand, his grip firm, possessive.
It was just an act a performance for their audience.
But the warmth of his touch sent an unexpected shiver down her spine.
"Smile," he murmured, his breath brushing against her ear. "Unless you want them to tear you apart."
Xinyi forced a smile onto her lips, the perfect picture of a devoted fiancée. She wouldn't let them see her struggle.
"Chen Wei, I must say, your fiancée is quite unexpected."
The voice belonged to Madam Zhang, the wife of a powerful investor. She looked Xinyi up and down, her red lips curving into a polite but condescending smile.
"Unexpected?" Chen Wei's voice was smooth, but there was an unmistakable warning in his tone.
Madam Zhang didn't flinch. "Well, the Lin family was never really in our circle, were they? And Miss Lin has quite a reputation."
Xinyi's fingers tightened around her champagne glass. She knew exactly what Madam Zhang was implying.
She was nothing compared to the wealthy daughters of aristocratic families. She was just the daughter of a fallen businessman, rumored to have clawed her way up through sheer ambition.
She expected Chen Wei to remain indifferent. After all, this engagement wasn't real. Why would he care?
But instead, he let out a soft, amused chuckle.
"Madam Zhang," he said lazily, swirling the wine in his glass. "I suggest you choose your words carefully."
The older woman's smile stiffened. "I didn't mean any offense, of course. I was just curious"
Chen Wei cut her off. "Curiosity is dangerous. And I don't tolerate insults toward my fiancée."
The room fell silent.
Xinyi's heart pounded. She wasn't sure what shocked her more the fact that he had defended her, or the fact that he had done it so effortlessly, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
The moment passed, and the conversation shifted, but Xinyi felt the change. People looked at her differently now not as a weak outsider, but as someone protected by Chen Wei himself.
She had survived Round One.
But the night wasn't over yet.
As the night progressed, Xinyi was beginning to think she might actually get through the event without more problems.
She was wrong.
"Lin Xinyi."
The sound of that voice made her spine stiffen.
She turned to see Gu Tian, the man she had once loved the man who had betrayed her.
He looked the same as he always did handsome, charming, and utterly deceitful.
"I must say," he said smoothly, "I never thought you'd be standing next to Chen Wei. I underestimated you."
Xinyi's nails dug into her palm, but she refused to give him the reaction he wanted.
"I believe we have nothing to say to each other," she said coldly.
Gu Tian smirked. "No need to be so cold. After all, we had something special once. Tell me, does Chen Wei know about our past?"
Before she could respond, a strong arm wrapped around her waist.
Chen Wei's voice was like ice. "I don't make a habit of entertaining insects at my parties."
Gu Tian's smirk faltered. "Chen Wei, no need to be hostile"
"You're still talking." Chen Wei's grip on Xinyi tightened slightly, just enough for her to feel the protective strength behind it. "Leave. Now."
Gu Tian opened his mouth as if to argue, but one sharp look from Chen Wei had him swallowing his pride and walking away.
Xinyi let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
Chen Wei looked down at her. "Are you alright?"
She met his gaze, searching for sarcasm, for amusement anything that would prove he was just playing a role.
But there was nothing. Just quiet intensity.
"I'm fine," she said.
Chen Wei studied her for a moment before releasing her. "Good. Because we're not leaving yet."
The orchestra began to play a soft, elegant melody.
"Chen Wei," a voice called out. It was an older businessman, one of Chen Wei's close associates. "A dance with your fiancée, perhaps?"
Xinyi's breath caught. She had avoided this possibility dancing meant intimacy, closeness, the risk of breaking the fragile distance between them.
But Chen Wei was already offering his hand.
The unspoken message in his eyes was clear: Play your part.
With her heart pounding, Xinyi placed her hand in his, letting him lead her onto the dance floor.
The moment his arms wrapped around her, the world faded.
She had danced before, but never like this. Never with someone who commanded the space around him so effortlessly.
Chen Wei was a perfect dancer every step calculated, every movement precise. He led, and she followed, as if their bodies already understood each other.
"You're nervous," he murmured, his lips dangerously close to her ear.
"I'm not," she lied.
His hand pressed against the small of her back, pulling her just a fraction closer. "Liar."
Xinyi's breath hitched.
Was this still part of the act? Or was something shifting between them?
She wasn't sure anymore.
And that terrified her.