Chapter 61: Aggressive Layout, Requesting Your Fiancée by Name
Lin Nuo repeated in a low voice, his tone carrying an unmistakable hint of playfulness.
"Bankrupt, huh..."
Natasha had just finished tidying up that black silk nightgown that had almost been ruined.
At this moment, she was submissively leaning against his knees.
She didn't dare to put all her weight on him.
The previous exertion had left her waist and back aching severely; even a slight movement sent a numbing sensation through her bones.
She looked up, her red hair cascading over her fair shoulders.
Natasha deliberately softened her voice, her tone carrying a hint of ingratiation.
"Boss, Reed Richards' Space Storm Observation Projectcurrently has a funding gap of three billion dollars."
"The Military considered the risks uncontrollable and directly withdrew their investment."
"The venture capital firms on Wall Street are avoiding it like the plague; no one is willing to pay for an ethereal Cosmic Ray Model."
"He's at a dead end now."
Lin Nuo casually tossed the tablet onto the empty seat next to him.
His large palm naturally came to rest back on the nape of Natasha's neck.
His rough fingertips rubbed neither too hard nor too soft against that fragile skin.
It caused the top-tier Agent in his arms to tremble uncontrollably.
Lin Nuo gave a light chuckle, his fingers pressing down section by section along her spine.
"Three billion for a piece of space junk?"
"That nerd Richards really has some nerve."
"However, this project itself is worthless. What's valuable is the accessory that follows him."
Natasha felt her whole body heating up from his touch, and she could only bite her red lips to endure that electric itch.
She knew the man in front of her too well; he never cared about scientific data.
Natasha sensibly picked up the conversation.
"You mean... his fiancée, Susan Storm?"
Lin Nuo applied a bit of force with his fingers, pinching her waist, and was satisfied to hear a soft groan the woman swallowed back down her throat.
"Correct, but unfortunately, there's no reward."
He ignored Natasha, who had turned into a puddle in his arms, and instead picked up a private line phone, dialing the number of the Global CEO of the Star Umbrella Group.
The call was picked up after only one ring.
Lin Nuo leaned back in his chair, his tone carrying an undisguised desire for control.
"Not asleep yet?"
The rustling sound of flipping pages came from the other end of the phone.
Pepper Potts's voice sounded a bit raspy, yet exceptionally soft and charming.
"How could I sleep?"
"You, the hands-off boss, threw all of Stark Industries' mess to me. I didn't even have time for dinner today."
"Don't you think you should compensate me?"
Lin Nuo lowered his voice.
"How do you want me to compensate you?"
"Do you want me to go to the office tomorrow to check on your work, or do you want me to personally inspect that uniform you just bought yesterday?"
The breathing on the other end of the phone immediately lost its rhythm.
Pepper's voice became incredibly soft, and even her tone began to drift.
"Don't... not in the office..."
"Others will hear. You always like to bully people."
Lin Nuo glanced at Natasha, his tone steady.
"Be good. Do something for me first, and we'll try it out properly at home tonight."
Pepper steadied her breathing on the other end and quickly adjusted back to her shrewd and capable female CEO state.
"Tell me."
Lin Nuo's fingers tapped on the leather armrest as he issued a blacklisting order word by word.
"Starting tonight, completely blacklist Reed Richards' Space Storm project."
"I want to make sure he can't get even a single cent of investment."
"Anyone who dares to give him money is going against Star Umbrella."
Pepper didn't ask a single question why, showing only absolute execution.
"Understood."
"At the latest, before sunrise tomorrow, Richards' lab won't even be able to afford tomorrow's electricity bill."
"And then?"
Lin Nuo laughed softly.
"And then?"
"Spread the word that Star Umbrella Group has a bit of interest in the cosmic ray project."
"However, I won't see Richards himself."
He paused for a moment, his tone resolute.
"Have his fiancée, Susan Storm, bring the proposal and come to my CEOs Office in person tomorrow morning to talk."
"Remember, for every minute she's late, I'll invest this life-saving money in someone else."
The call ended.
Natasha leaned against the man's leg, having heard the entire conversation clearly.
Her beautiful eyes were full of awe for this man's methods.
Natasha asked softly.
"Boss, are you so sure that Richards will push his own fiancée out as a bargaining chip?"
Lin Nuo pinched Natasha's delicate chin, forcing her to look up at him.
"You don't understand those so-called geniuses who are obsessed with their own World."
"In Richards' eyes, only two things in this World are most important: his research and his pride."
Lin Nuo's finger traced along her jawline, bringing a shivering heat.
"A paranoid person like him can sacrifice everything to get experimental data."
"To him, a woman is just an accessory, a glass of Water after he's tired of staying in the lab."
"Now he's dying of thirst. It's just a glass of Water; how could he be unwilling to serve it to someone else in exchange for life-saving spring water?"
Lin Nuo's words were blunt and extremely realistic.
He never played any love-at-first-sight scenes.
What he was best at was accurately finding the weaknesses of those high-quality women in this damn World.
Then, during their most helpless moments and when they were most disappointed with their original partners, he would step in without reservation.
Natasha praised sincerely.
"You certainly see through him."
Lin Nuo lowered his head and bit down hard on Natasha's fair collarbone, leaving an extremely suggestive red mark.
"If I don't see through him, how can I snatch the most precious prey from his hands?"
Natasha winced in pain, her eyes immediately welling up with tears.
"Mm..."
Lin Nuo's large hand held the back of her head, pressing her back into his arms, and he closed his eyes, speaking no more.
"Watch closely. Tomorrow, I'll show you what it means to kill someone and then crush their heart."
The maybach sped off in the direction of the Long Island Manor.
...
Meanwhile, in a dilapidated laboratory in Brooklyn, New York, the atmosphere was oppressive to the extreme.
Cluttered instruments were piled in the corner, and a sharp red warning flashed on the display screen.
Reed Richards clutched his already messy hair with both hands, his eyes bloodshot.
He stared at the email on the computer screen from the Military finally refusing to provide funds; his whole body was like a bow stretched to its limit.
A blonde woman walked to his side carrying a tray, her voice gentle yet carrying an undisguisable fatigue.
"Reed, you haven't slept for three days. Eat something first."
Susan Storm, this beautiful woman who also possessed amazing talent in the academic World.
At this moment, for the sake of her fiancé, she was willing to endure these days in this Underground Room.
She looked at Reed's increasingly haggard face, and her heart throbbed with pain.
Reed suddenly exploded, sweeping the documents on the table to the floor.
"Eat?"
"How do I have time to eat!"
"I'm just one simulation away!"
"My theory is correct!"
"Those idiots don't understand what kind of evolution cosmic rays can bring to humanity at all!"
"They only care about money!"
Susan was startled by his violent actions and took half a step back.
Some of the hot milk in the tray spilled out, scalding the back of her hand and leaving a red patch.
But Reed didn't notice his fiancée's injured hand at all.
He just paced back and forth in the narrow laboratory like a trapped beast.
Reed gritted his teeth, his voice filled with despair.
"I just called every investor I know."
"No one picked up!"
"They're all avoiding me!"
"The entire Wall Street reached an agreement overnight to lock down my project!"
Just then, the laboratory's antique fax machine suddenly rang.
The buzzing sound was particularly piercing in the quiet room.
Reed lunged over like he was grabbing a life-saving straw and tore out the newly printed sheet of paper.
After just one look, a fanatical light suddenly erupted in his originally dull eyes.
Reed was so excited he was incoherent, and he turned to Susan with the paper in hand.
"Star Umbrella... Star Umbrella Group is willing to invest!"
"It's that giant that just swallowed Stark Industries!"
"They're interested in my project!"
"They can provide three billion!"
"No, fifty billion wouldn't be a problem!"
Susan looked at her fiancé's frenzied state, but there wasn't much joy in her heart.
She knew the greed of capital all too well.
Susan asked calmly.
"Reed, what are their conditions?"
The ecstasy on Reed's face faltered for a moment.
He lowered his head and looked carefully at the small line of text at the bottom of the fax.
After a long while, he looked up, his eyes a bit evasive.
"They... Star Umbrella's CEO, Lin Nuo, requested a meeting."
"That's a good thing, then prepare the materials..."
Reed interrupted Susan, stepped forward, and grabbed her shoulders.
"Not me."
"Susan, the other party specifically requested by name that you bring the proposal and go to Star Umbrella's top-floor CEOs Office tomorrow to talk."
Chapter 62: Not the Project, I Only Want You as Collateral
Manhattan was still shrouded in mist in the early morning.
In front of the Star Umbrella Group building, Susan Stormclutched a thick proposal, her palms covered in a fine layer of cold sweat.
For this Space Storm Observation Project, Reed had become almost obsessed.
When the fax of intent from Star Umbrella Group arrived, Reed's eyes held nothing but reckless fanaticism.
He hadn't even cared about the dark circles under her eyes from staying up late to organize the dry data, nor had he noticed the red mark on the back of her hand from being scalded by hot milk.
Reed's urging tone still echoed in her ears, filled with paranoia and a sense of entitlement.
"Susan, go see him. You must secure the funding."
Before the altar named "Science," she, his fiancée, was being used as a bargaining chip for research funds.
Susan lowered her eyelashes, suppressing the bitterness rising in her chest.
She took the private elevator directly to the top floor; the corridor was so quiet that only the sound of her high heels could be heard.
The high-end artworks and luxurious furnishings along the way all showcased the confidence of this massive commercial empire.
Compared to Reed's Underground Room, where they couldn't even afford next month's electricity bill, this was simply another unreachable World.
Reaching the end of the corridor, she faced two heavy mahogany double doors.
Susan straightened her professional suit and took a breath of the slightly chilly air.
She raised her hand and knocked on the door of the CEOs Office.
A low, lazy male voice came through the door, exuding the natural aura of someone in power.
"Enter."
Susan pushed the door open.
The main lights were not on in the spacious office.
Morning light poured in through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, outlining the man's tall and broad shoulder line.
Lin Nuo was not sitting behind the desk; instead, he stood with his back to her in front of the floor-to-ceiling window.
He wore a finely textured pure white shirt, his tie draped loosely around his collar, as he slowly and methodically fastened his platinum cufflinks.
Amidst the play of light and shadow, the lines of the man's profile were sharp and dangerous.
A pair of gold-rimmed glasses rested on his high bridge, skillfully disguising his predatory nature as a refined and elegant demeanor.
Lin Nuo didn't even turn his head, his voice tinged with a faint laziness.
"Miss Stone, you are three minutes earlier than the appointed time."
Susan swallowed her dry throat.
The woody scent of cologne permeating the air invaded her every breath.
In this territory that belonged entirely to Lin Nuo, she felt an unprecedented sense of pressure.
Susan walked quickly to the marble desk and handed over the heavy document.
She tried to make her voice sound professional enough.
"Mr. Lin Nuo, this is the proposal for the Space Storm Project."
"Dr. Richards has performed the most precise deductions for the entire Cosmic Ray Model."
"If Star Umbrella is willing to inject funds, we guarantee to achieve in this field..."
Lin Nuo finally turned around.
"Achieve what?"
He casually adjusted the gold-rimmed glasses on his nose and took a step forward, walking toward her one step at a time.
With every step the man took closer, that aggressive heat intensified exponentially.
Susan instinctively wanted to retreat.
But her remaining pride kept her feet pinned to the spot.
Lin Nuo walked up to her, the distance between them closing to a point that was highly inappropriate for business etiquette.
He was much taller than her.
Even at half a step's distance, the pressure emanating from him was constantly eroding her sanity.
Lin Nuo lowered his eyes, his gaze falling on her pale knuckles, his tone calm yet every word piercing her heart.
"Miss Stone, put away those empty clichés."
"A three-billion-dollar funding gap; the Military won't take it, and Wall Street won't invest."
"You're currently so poor you can't even pay the rent for your Underground Room. What do you have to discuss an epoch-making breakthrough with me?"
Susan bit her red lip.
Lin Nuo's words brutally tore away Reed's final shred of dignity.
Susan struggled to maintain her confidence and argued.
"Our theory is sound."
"As long as there's one field space simulation, as long as we have the equipment..."
Lin Nuo directly interrupted her.
"But that genius who claims he'll change the World is now acting like an ostrich, hiding in a dark, dilapidated house and sending his fiancée out to beg for money."
Lin Nuo's words were venomous and sharp, directly piercing Susan's most secret defense.
Her face turned pale; she instinctively wanted to retort, but she couldn't even piece together a complete sentence.
Because what he said was an undeniable fact.
Lin Nuo's gaze slowly moved down, landing on her right hand which was tightly clutching the document.
There, on the fair skin, was a prominent red scald mark.
Lin Nuo's voice suddenly dropped; the aggressive sharpness faded, replaced by a deceptive gentleness.
"Richards didn't even notice you were injured, did he?"
Susan's heart skipped a beat.
She hurriedly tried to hide her hand behind her back, but it was intercepted first by the man's warm palm.
Lin Nuo's movements were not rough, yet they held an irresistible strength.
His well-defined fingers gently gripped her wrist.
The warmth from his palm transferred through where their skin met, making Susan shiver.
Lin Nuo gave a low command.
"Don't move."
The pad of his other thumb gently brushed against the edge of the red mark.
The rough texture of his finger brought a wave of trembling numbness.
Susan's breathing became erratic.
She had never had such intimate physical contact with a man other than Reed.
Moreover, in such a private and quiet office, standing before her was the helmsman of an empire who held the power of life and death.
Susan struggled a little, her voice trembling with a hint of bewildered whimpering.
"Mr... Mr. Lin Nuo..."
Lin Nuo did not let go.
Instead, he pulled a soft black silk handkerchief from his trouser pocket.
With one hand, he reached around the back of her hand and extremely patiently covered the reddened skin.
His knuckles inadvertently brushed against her soft palm, bringing a jolt of electric itchiness.
Susan's mind went blank.
This man she called her fiancée, in the past seventy-two hours, would only complain about his train of thought being interrupted when she was slow in bringing him coffee.
Yet this tycoon before her, rumored to be a ruthless predator, had, on the morning of their first meeting, cared for her pain—which she had almost forgotten herself—in such an unreasonable way.
This fatal sense of contrast caused a gap that could not be mended to crack in the psychological defense Susan had built.
Lin Nuo's eyelids lowered slightly, his tone carrying a hint of a soul-stirring sigh.
"For that ethereal data, he can go without sleep for three days and nights."
"But he can't even see that a cup of hot milk scalded his woman's hand."
"Is it really worth lowering yourself into the dust for a paranoid man who only loves science and not you?"
This sentence struck Susan's weakest point directly.
The long-held grievances, exhaustion, and disappointment in Reed were, at this moment, extremely gently yet cruelly laid bare by Lin Nuo.
Her eyes uncontrollably rimmed with red.
Lin Nuo's words carried no frivolous offense; he sounded like a bystander who truly saw her value and was speaking out for her.
He didn't dwell on the topic, instead releasing Susan's wrist.
Only the handkerchief, carrying the woody scent of cologne, remained in her hand.
Susan nervously toyed with the hem of her clothes, the back of her hand wrapped in the silk handkerchief feeling waves of heat.
The scientific terms and negotiation techniques she had prepared were already in shambles under this man's series of maneuvers.
Lin Nuo turned and walked to the marble desk.
His slender fingers carelessly lifted the cover of the proposal.
With just a glance at the dense budget table, his eyes were filled with mockery.
He didn't even bother looking at the core content that followed, reaching out directly to take the thick stack of the proposal.
Then, under Susan's stunned gaze, he tossed it aside.
The proposal hit the cold marble tabletop, making the data and drawings Reed cherished like treasures look somewhat pathetic.
Susan panicked and stepped forward, wanting to tidy up the documents.
"Mr. Lin Nuo, what do you mean by this?"
Lin Nuo had one hand in his trouser pocket and the other pressed down on the pile of papers, stopping her movements.
He looked at her through his lenses, his eyes swirling with undisguised desire for control and aggression.
Lin Nuo's voice was low and husky, each word striking Susan's taut nerves.
"Miss Stone, I thought I had made myself clear enough."
"I have absolutely no interest in Richards' grand ambitions."
He paused, his gaze brazenly sliding from Susan's beautiful eyes down to her collarbone, which was slightly rising and falling due to her rapid breathing.
This gaze was like a physical caress, carrying a temperature that made one's body go weak.
"I only value the... collateral in this project."
Chapter 63: Deep Exchange, a Three Billion Dollar Indenture
"Collateral?"
Susan's breath hitched for a moment, her voice dry and tight.
Lin Nuo didn't answer. Instead, he rounded the wide marble desk, his long legs striding forward as he approached her step by step.
The man was already tall and imposing, and once he shed his refined disguise, the aggressive predator aura in his bones was released without reservation.
Susan instinctively backed away, her high heels clicking a frantic rhythm on the carpet.
Until the small of her back pressed hard against the cold edge of the desk, leaving her with nowhere to retreat.
Lin Nuo stopped in front of her, the tips of his shoes touching hers.
He leaned down, one hand reaching past her waist to brace himself firmly against the marble tabletop.
It was a domineering, semi-confining posture.
The man's broad shoulders completely blocked the morning light streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows, his shadow pressing down and enveloping Susan entirely.
The intense scent of woody cologne forcefully invaded her nostrils, completely stripping her of the surrounding oxygen.
Susan felt her heart rate go completely haywire.
The heat radiating from the man in front of her was startling, constantly transferring to her across the mere centimeters of distance.
She turned her head away, trying to escape that oppressive gaze.
"Mr. Lin Nuo, regarding the collateral, if Star Umbrella is interested in our exclusive patents on the space station, Dr.Richards can make concessions..."
"Patents?" Lin Nuo chuckled, the vibration in his chest transmitting directly to Susan's tense nerves.
He didn't cross the line to touch her body, but merely lowered his head slightly.
His warm breath hit Susan's fair neck and tense collarbone directly, sending a wave of weakening tremors through her.
"Those scraps of data that haven't even been field-tested aren't worth a cent in my eyes."
Lin Nuo's voice was lazy, emphasizing every word.
"Star Umbrella can provide unlimited financial support."
"If three billion isn't enough, I'll throw in five billion! But on one condition: I want you."
The tips of Susan's ears suddenly burned red.
She had been a highly-watched prodigy in the academic world since childhood; when had a man ever flirted with her so bluntly in such an unreasonable tone?
"Mr. Lin, please respect yourself!"
Susan reached out and pressed against the man's chest, trying to push him away.
Her hands met the firm, defined contours of his chest muscles; instead of moving him an inch, the heat made her fingers recoil.
The silk scarf she had just wrapped around her right hand brushed against his crisp white shirt, creating a heart-fluttering rustling sound.
Lin Nuo allowed her to push him without any real threat. He raised his free hand, his well-defined fingers slowly sliding down the lapel of Susan's coat.
His fingertips didn't touch her skin directly, but merely traced the curves of her waist through the thin fabric, seemingly intentional yet casual.
The atmosphere was extremely ambiguous.
"You're overcomplicating things, Miss Stone."
Lin Nuo's fingers stopped at her slender waist, tapping it twice gently.
"I'm just making a very standard investor's request."
"Since I'm investing a staggering amount of capital, I naturally need a reliable project liaison."
"Therefore, I need you to report progress to me personally, twenty-four hours a day."
He deliberately emphasized the word "personally," his voice lingering on a blunt and suggestive hint.
Susan's chest heaved violently, her breathing completely disrupted. "I can cooperate with normal periodic reporting, but twenty-four hours personally..."
"It means exactly what it sounds like."
Lin Nuo lowered his voice, directly cutting off her struggle.
"You must be within my sight at all times! I need you to explain every detail to me individually."
"If I feel there's a problem with the data in the middle of the night, even if you're sleeping, you must immediately come to my apartment for a deep exchange."
"Understand? Baby."
That low, husky "Baby" struck Susan's eardrums directly.
Her legs went weak; if the desk hadn't been supporting her waist, she would have almost slid to the floor.
"Absurd!" Susan bit her red lips hard, her eyes full of shame and anger.
"Dr. Richards would never agree to such a request! We came here for investment, not to sell people!"
Hearing that obsessive man's name, a wicked look of desire finally surfaced in Lin Nuo's originally casual eyes.
He raised his large palm, his long fingers directly pinching Susan's delicate chin.
The man's strength was irresistible, forcing her to tilt her head up and face that refined scoundrel's face behind the gold-rimmed glasses.
"Who is really selling people? Don't you know the truth in your heart?"
Lin Nuo's thumb pressed hard against her trembling red lips, his tone becoming exceptionally cruel.
"That fiancé you treat as your everything—when he couldn't even pay the rent, he pushed you alone into this building."
"Does he know how many nights you've stayed up? Does he know how many times you've been hurt?"
"He knows nothing, because all he sees are his cosmic rays."
"In that broken Underground Room, are you a scientist, or just a tool to exchange for funding?"
Word by word, he mercilessly pierced through the self-deception Susan had struggled to maintain for so long.
Ten years of devotion were dissected cleanly in a brutal and sharp manner by this man she had known for less than ten minutes.
Susan's eyes stung, a layer of mist blurring her vision.
She let out a sob, and tears fell uncontrollably, hitting the back of Lin Nuo's hand as he pinched her chin.
The warm teardrops revealed a pitiable fragility.
Lin Nuo knew very well that he couldn't push her too far right now.
He softened his tone, and the fingers pinching her chin loosened, sliding toward her slender and vulnerable nape.
His broad, warm palm gently kneaded the soft flesh of her nape, carrying a deceptive sense of comfort.
"Good girl, don't cry."
Lin Nuo lowered his head, his nose almost touching hers.
"Shedding tears for a piece of trash who doesn't even understand your value is beneath you."
"He's willing to waste you, but I'm not."
Susan was trapped between his arms, firmly handled by this combination of hardness and softness.
She wanted to resist this possessive touch, but her body was being very honest, sinking into this false sense of security.
How long had it been since Reed, who did nothing but stare at screens and lose his temper every day, had spoken to her with such care?
Lin Nuo's large hand gripped her lower back, pulling her slightly toward him.
"What are you afraid of? Afraid he'll find out about our deal?"
"Or afraid that once you take this step, you'll never be able to go back to that cramped Underground Room?"
Lin Nuo's tone was full of enticement: "Why don't you try? Escape the cage that obsessive man drew for you."
"Stay in my territory, and you won't have to stay up all night writing reports destined for the trash can."
"I will give you the most top-tier laboratory and turn all your ideas into reality!"
"And all you have to give is just a little... sincerity."
Susan's whole body tensed up.
Reason told her she should immediately push away this dangerous financial tycoon and flee this predatory CEO's office.
But as soon as she thought about returning to Brooklyn to face that pile of broken equipment sounding alarms, and that fiancé who only pressed her for money...
Her feet felt nailed to the spot, unable to move at all.
Lin Nuo watched with satisfaction as her struggle gradually turned into surrender. He restrainedly withdrew his arms from around her waist.
Half of the oppressive feeling dissipated.
Lin Nuo turned and walked to a desk drawer, taking out an urgent file with a black leather cover.
He picked up an expensive custom fountain pen, quickly signed his name on the last page, and then tossed the file in front of Susan.
The file fanned out, revealing a striking title: "Star Umbrella Group's Special Risk Control Merger Agreement for the Space Storm Project."
"Take it back."
Lin Nuo put one hand in his pocket, his posture tall and straight, returning to his aloof capitalist persona.
Susan stared blankly at the file on the desk, her hands clasped together awkwardly. "This is..."
"A clause valued at three billion dollars!" Lin Nuo was blunt to a fault.
"It's just that it requires Miss Stone to personally cooperate with all my work throughout the entire R&D cycle."
Chapter 64: Utter Despair, Signing the Indenture with Tears
When she returned to the Underground Room, it was already ten in the morning.
"Susan! You're finally back!"
Before she could even steady herself, a man with disheveled hair rushed out from behind a pile of old instruments.
His eyes were sunken, and his expression was anxious.
Reed Richards' eyes were filled with terrifying bloodshot streaks.
The expression on his face carried a near-manic excitement.
He didn't notice Susan's pale face, nor did he notice her red, swollen eyes.
His gaze didn't even linger on her for more than a second before it fixed firmly on the black document in her hand!
"Is that the contract? What did Star Umbrella say? Are they approving the three billion U.S. dollars or not?!"
Reed grabbed Susan's shoulders with such force that it hurt her collarbone.
Susan frowned slightly as he shook her, instinctively raising her right hand to brush his hands away.
That exquisitely crafted black silk square scarf was exposed directly to Reed's sight. The scarf was even embroidered with subtle patterns.
If Reed had only lowered his head slightly, he would have discovered that his fiancée's hand was wrapped with a private item that clearly belonged to another man.
But Reed didn't.
His eyes were only for that document!
"Reed, you're hurting me."
Susan's voice was dry as she took half a step back to avoid his touch.
"Sorry, sorry, I'm just too excited!"
Reed rubbed his face haphazardly and eagerly reached out his hand.
"Quick, let me see! Have they sent the money? My Space Station project is about to restart!"
Looking at this man she had been in love with for ten years, Susan only felt a sense of strangeness she had never experienced before.
"They agreed to provide funding, even promising there would be no upper limit."
Susan steadied her breathing, her voice trembling slightly.
"However, there is an additional special merger and acquisition agreement."
"Who cares what agreement it is!"
Reed snatched the document from Susan's hand and opened it impatiently.
"As long as the money is in place, we can negotiate however many patent shares Star Umbrella wants! Once I prove the value of Cosmic Rays, none of this will matter!"
He flipped through the pages quickly, muttering to himself, as if he could already see the grand image of the Space Station launching.
Watching his fanatical appearance, Susan's heart felt as if it were sinking bit by bit into an ice cellar.
"Reed, look closely at the risk control terms on the last page."
Susan bit her red lips and spoke with difficulty.
"The CEO of Star Umbrella, Lin Nuo, requires me to report the project's progress to him 'in person,' twenty-four hours a day, around the clock."
The words "in-person reporting" came out of her mouth.
Carrying an unspeakable sense of shame and humiliation.
The sound of flipping through the document stopped abruptly.
Reed looked up, his brow furrowed tightly.
A faint glimmer of hope rose in the depths of Susan's heart.
"Twenty-four hours?"
Reed pushed the glasses on the bridge of his nose, speaking rapidly.
"Susan, that's too much of a workload for you! You have to organize data, run simulations, and find time to deal with the investor's spot checks."
"What does Lin Nuo know about space physics? This is an amateur trying to lead a professional!"
Susan's breath hitched. She looked at Reed in disbelief.
"Reed, don't you understand?" Susan's voice couldn't stop trembling, and tears welled in her eyes.
"He's requiring me to be 'at his side'! He is a grown man, and I am a woman with a fiancé!"
"He wants me on call in the middle of the night; this kind of clause is simply..."
"It's simply very standard risk control for an investor!"
Reed interrupted her irritably.
"Susan, don't make a mountain out of a molehill, okay?"
"They've poured in three billion U.S. dollars; what's wrong with wanting a trustworthy executive to monitor the progress at all times?"
"You're the project's deputy director, the person who understands this plan best besides me. It's perfectly appropriate for you to go and report!"
"But..."
"No buts!"
Reed's volume suddenly rose.
"Susan, this is the altar of science! We are only one step away from unlocking the mysteries of the Universe!"
"Are you still obsessing over these mundane, meaningless words?"
He pointed at the server that was emitting a low-power alarm because the electricity bill hadn't been paid.
"Without this money, this server will shut down tomorrow! Ten years of hard work will turn into a pile of scrap metal! Do you really want me to go beg on the streets?"
Susan stood frozen in place, her vision completely blurred.
Ten years of feelings, in the eyes of this obsessive, weren't even worth a set of dry cosmic ray parameters.
For three billion in funding, he could unhesitatingly pack up his own fiancée and deliver her to another man's desk!
"In your eyes, is he a respected scientist or just a tool used specifically to exchange for research funding?"
Lin Nuo's words, delivered with a lazy smile, were like the sharpest scalpel, cruelly cutting through all pretenses.
It turned out that from beginning to end, that man sitting at the top was the one who saw through everything most clearly.
"Where's my pen?"
Reed searched frantically across the cluttered desk.
"I need to sign this quickly! The sooner the contract is finalized, the sooner the funds will arrive."
He grabbed a black gel pen, flipped unhesitatingly to the last page, and signed his name.
The moment the pen touched the paper, Susan felt her heart completely die.
"Here, Susan, right here."
Reed pointed to the bottom of the page and handed over the pen.
"You're the project's deputy director and Liaison; your signature is also required."
"This is three billion U.S. dollars! Even if you have to move into Star Umbrella's headquarters, you have to keep a close eye on it for me!"
Susan lowered her head, looking at the blank space.
On her right hand, the silk square scarf belonging to Lin Nuo gently slid across her skin with her movements.
The soft touch mingled with the faint scent of woody cologne wafting through the air.
It was as if that Refined Scoundrel wearing gold-rimmed glasses was standing behind her, watching this absurd farce with a half-smile.
"Susan? Hurry up, I need to fax the confirmation letter before the bank closes."
Reed urged, his tone carrying a clear note of impatience.
Susan didn't say a word.
She took the pen, her fingertips trembling slightly from the force.
In that blank space, she signed her name stroke by stroke: Susan Storm.
The second she signed her name, she clearly realized one thing.
She no longer belonged to this cramped Underground Room, nor did she belong to the fanatical nerd in front of her.
Her time, her energy, even the bottom line she took pride in...
From this moment on, they completely belonged to that powerful and domineering Financial Tycoon!
"Great! Finally succeeded!"
Reed snatched the contract and jumped up in excitement.
"With this money, the Space Station's launch pad can restart tonight! Susan, you're the biggest hero!"
He rushed over, wanting to hug her.
But Susan instinctively stepped aside, making Reed miss.
"I'm a little tired and want to rest." Susan's voice was dry, without any emotional ups and downs.
"Oh, right, you stayed up all night, go to sleep! Just leave the next core deduction to me!"
Reed didn't care at all about her coldness, turning back to pounce on the old computer.
He began frantically calculating those dry figures again.
He didn't notice at all that Susan's feelings for him had completely died.
Susan turned around, walked out of the laboratory filled with the smell of engine oil, and returned to her tiny bedroom.
She leaned against the back of the door, her body sliding down bit by bit, until she finally slumped onto the cold floor.
She buried her face in her knees, her shoulders shaking violently, but she didn't make a sound.
Just then, the phone in her pocket suddenly emitted a "buzzing" vibration.
In this deathly silent room, it was startlingly abrupt.
Susan pulled out the phone with trembling hands.
On the screen, an unread text message from an unknown number was flashing.
She held her breath, suppressing her panic, and tapped the screen with her fingertip.
The content of the message was very short, but it carried a suffocating sense of pressure.
It was as if that man were right against her earlobe, whispering in that aggressive, low, husky voice.
"It seems your paranoid fiancé has made the most correct choice."
"Be ready tomorrow morning to come and give me your first 'in-person report'."
Chapter 65: Confined from Behind, He Whispers Temptation in Her Ear
The next afternoon, the Star Umbrella Group's underground parking garage.
Susan Storm stood outside the passenger door, her fingers nervously twisting the thick document in her arms.
Today, she had specifically changed into a well-tailored cream-white professional suit.
The hem of her skirt stopped exactly two inches above her knees, paired with non-aggressive nude high heels.
It was a very standard professional outfit; no fault could be found with it.
But for some reason, just thinking about that text message with its intense sense of pressure from last night made her legs feel a bit weak.
The driver's side window rolled down, revealing Lin Nuo's deceptive, refined face behind gold-rimmed glasses.
Lin Nuo rested one hand on the steering wheel, his voice carrying a nonchalant laziness.
"Get in."
"Or does Miss Stone need me to personally get out and open the door for you?"
Susan's breath hitched. Not daring to delay for another moment, she immediately pulled open the door and sat in the passenger seat.
The maybach drove smoothly out of the garage, merging into the congested Manhattan traffic.
Susan gripped the edges of the document with both hands, trying to break the suffocating silence in the car.
"Mr. Lin Nuo, wasn't the project report supposed to be held in the CEOs Office today?"
Lin Nuo's well-defined fingers tapped rhythmically on the leather steering wheel, not even sparing her a glance.
"Changed my mind. Since it's a personal report, naturally, wherever I go, you must follow."
He emphasized the word 'personal' heavily.
Susan's ears suddenly began to burn.
She remembered how, before she left, Reed hadn't even looked up at her, only urging her to confirm the funding progress from Star Umbrella.
The man she had been with for seven years had personally pushed her toward this highly aggressive predator.
Lin Nuo stepped on the gas, and the car skillfully weaved through the traffic.
"Start now."
"Let me hear your three-billion-U.S.-dollar story."
Susan swallowed her dry throat, opened the proposal, and forced herself to maintain a completely professional attitude.
"According to the Cosmic Ray Model established by Dr.Richards, we plan to build a Space Station. When a Sun storm erupts, the special shield on the outer layer of the Space Station can collect high-energy particles. We will then..."
"Stop."
Lin Nuo interrupted her dull reading without any courtesy.
Stopping the car, Lin Nuo turned his head, his upper body leaning away from the driver's seat back and pressing toward the passenger side.
Lin Nuo lowered his voice, and the warm air he exhaled brushed past the stray hairs near her ear, intentionally or otherwise.
"Miss Stone, your report isn't detailed enough."
"These superficial terms might work to fool those uneducated fools on Wall Street, but they won't work with me."
Lin Nuo's gaze slowly slid from her reddening earlobe down to her neckline, which was slightly rising and falling due to her nervousness.
"I said, I need an in-depth exchange."
"For example, how deep is your endurance for the storm's energy levels, exactly?"
Susan's cheeks were completely flushed, and a thin layer of moisture appeared on her face.
She clearly knew that the man in front of her was blatantly flirting with her, yet she didn't dare to offer any excessive resistance.
The three billion in funding, Reed's fanaticism, and that contract with her name on it weighed heavily on her like three mountains.
Susan's voice couldn't stop trembling.
"The parameters were derived after multiple simulations..."
"The shield thickness can withstand..."
She didn't finish her sentence because Lin Nuo raised his hand.
The man's long fingers reached across the center console, heading straight for her cheek.
Terrified, Susan closed her eyes, her long eyelashes trembling violently.
The excessive move she anticipated did not happen.
Lin Nuo's fingertips merely hooked a strand of curly hair hanging by her cheek with extreme gentleness, slowly tucking it behind her ear.
But as he withdrew his hand, his rough finger pad intentionally or unintentionally brushed against the fair, fragile side of her neck.
At the moment of skin contact, the intense contrast in sensation made Susan's whole body shudder.
Feeling the wildly racing pulse under his fingertips, Lin Nuolet out a pleasant chuckle from the depths of his throat.
"Racing so fast. Baby, are you afraid of me?"
That low, raspy 'Baby' struck Susan's eardrums directly.
Her body went half-limp, and she could barely even hold onto the documents in her hand.
Susan struggled to utter two words, still not daring to open her eyes.
"No..."
Lin Nuo had no intention of letting her off.
He withdrew his hand, the green light turned on, and the maybach started again.
"Since you're not, why don't you dare to look at me?"
"Compared to that fiancé of yours who doesn't even notice when you get scalded by milk, I'm giving you quite a lot of patience."
Hearing Reed's name, a wave of indescribable bitterness and grievance welled up in Susan's heart.
She opened her eyes and looked at the passing street scenery through blurred vision.
Under his carrot and stick offensive, her defenses were retreating lower and lower.
...
Half an hour later, the maybach drove out of the city and stopped in front of a giant private aviation Base on the edge of Long Island.
The car door opened, and Susan followed Lin Nuo into the massive pure-white building that spanned tens of thousands of square meters.
Just as she stepped through the security gate, the sight before her left her rooted to the spot.
Huge dome stood the prototype of a Space Station that was not yet finished but looked extremely sci-fi.
It was surrounded by top-tier scientific research instruments that were simply unavailable on the market.
Countless researchers in white sterile suits were busy in an orderly fashion.
Susan gasped; her instincts as a scientist made her instantly captivated by the scene.
"This... this is..."
Compared to this place, the Underground Room Reed had rented in Brooklyn, with its aging wiring and constant power outages, was practically a last-century scrap yard.
Lin Nuo walked calmly to a row of complex control consoles with one hand in his trouser pocket.
"This is Workshop No. 1 of the Star Umbrella Aviation Department."
"This Superconducting Particle Separator cost 150 million U.S. dollars. The Military begged me for three months, but I wouldn't sell it to them."
Susan walked forward unconsciously, her fingers obsessively stroking the cold metal edge of the console.
If they had even one-ten-thousandth of what was here, Reed's Cosmic Ray Model could be perfectly implemented by next month.
No, they wouldn't even need Reed; even she herself could lead a team to complete that epoch-making feat.
Just as she was completely immersed in her feverish excitement over the top-tier equipment, a tall figure silently pressed up against her.
Lin Nuo walked up behind Susan, reaching his hands over her shoulders to brace them directly against the edge of the console in front of her.
It was a posture of total confinement, leaving no room to escape.
The man's chest was almost pressed against Susan's back.
Through her thin shirt and professional suit, an undeniable heat was continuously being transmitted, making the muscles in Susan's back instantly tense.
Susan didn't even dare to breathe heavily, for fear that even a slight movement would cause more embarrassing friction with the man behind her.
"Mr... Mr. Lin..."
Lin Nuo did not back away; instead, he lowered his body even further.
He turned his head, his lips almost touching Susan's burning ear as he spoke.
"Do you like it?"
"Compared to that dark Underground Room where you have to go out and humbly beg for money just for the electricity bill, doesn't this place suit your talent better?"
Susan bit her red lips, her eyes struggling with intense resistance and a trace of inescapable surrender.
She wanted to push away the arms encircling her and tell him righteously that she had a fiancé.
But when the words reached her lips, her mind was filled with the image of Reed's crazed face from last night as he unhesitatingly signed those predatory terms just to get the money.
She had wasted seven years on that man; what had she gained?
Lin Nuo's large hand left the console and naturally landed on her slender waist, kneading the soft flesh there with moderate pressure through the fabric.
"As long as you're a good girl."
Susan let out a whimper, her legs going weak, almost unable to stand.
She could only use her hands to grip the console in front of her tightly to keep from collapsing into Lin Nuo's arms.
Lin Nuo's fingers slowly slid up her waistline, his voice carrying a seductive, magical power.
"All the equipment here, this thirty-thousand-square-meter Base, and even that Space Station about to be launched..."
"They're all yours. I can even kick Reed Richards out and let you be the absolute lead for this project."
Lin Nuo forced her to face this cruel reality.
"You must understand that what he can give you doesn't even compare to the scraps that fall through my fingers."
Susan completely lost the strength to resist, allowing Lin Nuo's arms to lock her firmly in front of him.
She was compromising, bowing her head to this man who held all the resources.
Susan panted, trying to shift her focus to alleviate the explosive atmosphere.
"Tomorrow..."
"Tomorrow's thruster test... I'll bring the blueprints for you to review."
Lin Nuo stopped his movements and chuckled.
"Tomorrow?"
"Miss Stone, tomorrow, from morning till night, you'll be staying in my CEOs Office."
Chapter 66: A Broken Anniversary Promise, CEO Lin Steals the Prize
As night fell, a soothing cello melody flowed through the restaurant.
Susan sat by the window, withdrawing her gaze from the bizarre neon lights outside.
On the marble dining table before her, a top-tier Beef Wellington had long since gone cold, its pastry becoming soggy and losing its original luster.
The clock's hands mercilessly swept past nine in the evening.
Her knuckles were a sickly pale as she gripped her phone.
The screen lit up, and a text message, short enough to drive one to despair, lay quietly in her inbox.
The sender was Reed.
"There's a deviation in the parameter model; I must re-derive it tonight. Don't wait for me."
Susan stared at the cold line of text, her eyes reddening as tears blurred her vision.
Today was the seventh anniversary of the day they met.
For this special day, she had disregarded everything to take a half-day leave from the Star Umbrella Group.
To gain those few hours of freedom, she had paid an unspeakable price in that luxurious cage known as the "CEOs Office."
That plutocratic tycoon in gold-rimmed glasses had trapped her between his large leather executive chair and the desk, his rough fingers measuring the waistline of her professional suit inch by inch.
In that absolutely private space, the man had used a voice so low and raspy it made her legs go weak, forcing her to call him by an extremely shameful title several times before he nonchalantly signed the leave slip.
She had endured that boundary-crossing harassment and excitedly changed into this specially prepared off-the-shoulder black bodycon dress, applying her most exquisite makeup.
And the result?
She sat here for three whole hours like an abandoned joke.
The man she called her fiancé hadn't even bothered to offer her a basic apology.
Disappointment and humiliation completely submerged her.
Susan picked up her handbag from the side, preparing to flee this place that made her feel utterly humiliated.
Just as she was about to stand up, a shadow completely blocked the dim, amber atmosphere light above her head.
Lin Nuo was dressed in a bespoke pitch-black suit, with a deep gray shirt underneath, no tie, and the collar casually open.
Without even a word of greeting, he pulled out the chair opposite her and sat down with complete naturalness.
That familiar, aggressive scent of woody cologne forcefully invaded the small booth, arrogantly crowding out all the oxygen around Susan.
Susan's breathing hitched, her fingers tightly twisting the metal chain of her handbag, the metal leaving deep imprints in her palm.
"Lin... CEO Lin..."
Lin Nuo ignored her discomfort entirely.
He leaned lazily against the back of the chair, his long legs crossed.
His large palm reached toward the table, accurately picking up the glass of red wine that should have belonged to Reed but remained untouched.
With a slight turn of his wrist, he rotated the rim of the wine glass toward himself.
On the glass rim was a faint lipstick mark left behind when Susan had accidentally brushed against it while drinking water earlier.
Under Susan's trembling gaze, Lin Nuo pressed his thin lips directly against that translucent lip print.
His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed a mouthful of the crimson wine.
The gesture was extremely intimate, carrying a blunt and overt possessiveness—it was a blatant indirect touch.
Susan's cheeks flushed crimson, a burning heat spreading wildly from her ears down to the sensitive side of her neck.
"You..."
Lin Nuo casually placed the wine glass back on the table, the glass base clinking sharply against the marble.
"The taste is decent, but the vintage is a bit young; it's not mellow enough on the palate."
Was he critiquing the wine, or something else?
Susan didn't dare think about it too deeply.
She lowered her eyelashes, forcing herself into a defensive posture of a subordinate, though her voice couldn't stop trembling.
"CEO Lin, it's after-hours now. If there's an emergency change in the Space Station Project, I will be at your office on time tomorrow morning to... report."
She emphasized the last word heavily, trying to remind him of the boundaries of their unequal agreement.
Listening to this pale and weak defense, a faint, cold chuckle escaped Lin Nuo's throat.
"Your fiancé seems unable to distinguish whether rigid data is more charming, or if the living person in front of him is more worth exploring."
These words were like a sharp scalpel, accurately and cruelly slicing through the last shred of dignity Susan was struggling to maintain.
Susan bit her red lips, a clear sob entering her voice.
"That is none of your business. This is a private matter between Reed and me."
Lin Nuo's gaze swept aggressively over the fair collarbones exposed by her off-the-shoulder dress, moving all the way down before locking unhesitatingly onto her skirt, which had been wrinkled from sitting for so long.
He leaned forward slightly, resting his chin on his interlaced hands, and lowered his voice.
"A private matter?"
"You signed Star Umbrella's Special Risk Control Agreement. From the moment you put pen to paper, all of your time—even who you wear this beautiful dress for—must be approved by me."
Susan desperately wanted to stand up, but because she had been sitting for so long and due to the extreme pressure the man exerted, her legs were so weak she couldn't muster any strength.
Before she could even stand straight, she fell heavily back into the soft seat.
"You're talking nonsense!"
Lin Nuo looked at her fragile state, his eyes filled with thick desire.
He stood up, his long, straight legs moving around the narrow table as he walked directly to the empty spot on the sofa beside her.
Without the slightest hesitation, he sat down right next to her.
The safe distance between them was forcibly compressed to less than five centimeters.
The startling heat from the man's body radiated continuously through the thin fabric of their clothes, leaving half of Susan's body completely stiff.
Lin Nuo raised his hand, his rough fingertips pressing directly against her fair, burning nape, applying a slight downward pressure.
"Don't hide."
Susan let out a whimper as an electric shiver surged up her spine.
She instinctively wanted to shrink into the corner, but the man's large hand was like an airtight net, pinning her firmly in place, unable to move.
Lin Nuo's thin lips were almost touching her ear as he spoke, every breath of scorching heat blowing unreservedly against the most sensitive skin on the side of her neck.
"Making yourself look so pathetic for a nerd who goes mad over cold screens in a shabby Underground Room. Is this the result of seven years of persistence?"
"What exactly is so good about him? Is he worth you sitting here for three whole hours like a joke?"
Susan's tears finally broke through, large droplets crashing onto her interlaced hands.
She had already been on the verge of collapse when she received the text, and now, with Lin Nuo ruthlessly exposing the truth, her defenses were completely gone.
"Don't... don't say any more..."
She had been lying to herself, thinking Reed just loved science too much and that everything would get better once they got through this difficult period.
But Lin Nuo was right; in Reed's eyes, those dull parameter models and the three billion in funding would always be more important than her.
In seven years, he didn't even have the patience to sit down and have a glass of wine with her.
Lin Nuo's large hand moved down from her nape, stroking her bare back.
The movement held a deceptively soothing quality, carrying a heart-fluttering heat that took advantage of her vulnerability and need for support, barging in without reason.
Lin Nuo tilted his head slightly, his high nose bridge intentionally or unintentionally brushing against Susan's tear-stained cheek, his voice husky to the extreme.
"Since he voluntarily gave up this privilege, then tonight, I'm taking over."
Chapter 67: Overbearing Pampering, If Reed Won't Cherish You, I Will
Lin Nuo did not give Susan any opportunity to refuse.
He took off his pure black haute couture suit jacket and forcefully draped it over Susan's slightly slender off-the-shoulder neckline.
The inside of the jacket still held the man's scorching body heat.
Together with that overbearing woody cologne scent, it wrapped Susan up completely and tightly.
"Mr. Lin, I don't need this..." Susan's eyes were red-rimmed.
Her fingers were flustered as she tried to pull off the oversized men's jacket from her shoulders.
"Don't move!" Lin Nuo's large hand reached across the table, precisely gripping her trembling slender wrist.
"Or do you want me to carry you out directly in this packed restaurant?"
His low, hoarse voice hid undisguised threats.
Susan's body went limp, and the strength she had prepared to resist was completely drained away.
She knew this man's style of doing things all too well.
If she dared to take one more step back, he would absolutely do it!
Caught between reason and fear, she could only passively let Lin Nuo take her hand.
He pulled her up from her seat.
The heat from the man's palm spread wildly where their skin touched, numbing her fingertips.
Just as they walked out of the restaurant's revolving glass doors, a torrential rain had started falling outside, and cold wind mixed with moisture hit her face.
The doorman respectfully handed over a large, pure black umbrella, which Lin Nuo opened with one hand.
In the curtain of rain, he reached out with a long arm, wrapping it directly around Susan's slender waist, and pulled her slightly into his embrace with a bit of force.
"Lean closer, don't let the employee benefits I just bought for you get splashed with muddy water."
Lin Nuo's words were completely unreasonable, yet they carried a sense of control that one could not refuse.
The two walked into the rain, and Susan instinctively hunched her shoulders, afraid of getting wet.
But after walking a short distance, she was surprised to find that not a single drop of rain had fallen on her!
Looking up, the majority of the huge black umbrella was tilted completely over her head.
Lin Nuo's right shoulder was completely exposed to the dense web of rain.
His expensive dark gray shirt was quickly soaked by the rain.
The shirt clung tightly to his bulging, sturdy muscular contours, revealing lines full of power.
The man's arm, separated by the fabric of the suit jacket, pressed tightly against her shoulder.
The heavy rain hitting the umbrella made a dense sound, but it could not cover up the wild heartbeat in Susan's chest.
For seven years, Reed Richards would only complain on rainy days that the weather affected the humidity parameters of his equipment.
That fiancé who was always full of scientific jargon, when had he ever made such a gesture? Even at the cost of getting himself wet, he would protect her completely under his wings!
The strong contrast brought a fatal gap, and her grievances were amplified infinitely at this moment.
Susan swallowed her dry throat, her voice sounding incredibly soft: "Mr. Lin, your clothes are wet..."
"Are you feeling sorry for me?" Not only did Lin Nuo not move the umbrella back, but the large hand around her waist tightened even more.
He kneaded the soft flesh there through the fabric, "Then walk faster."
A maybach was parked by the side of the road. Lin Nuoopened the passenger door and shoved her inside.
The heater in the car was on full blast, completely isolating them from the wind and rain outside.
Lin Nuo sat in the driver's seat and casually pulled at the collar of his rain-soaked clothes, revealing his slender, sturdy neckline.
The engine roared. The luxury car drove into the rain, speeding toward the very heart of Manhattan.
"Where are we going?" Susan clutched the men's suit jacket on her body, defensiveness and unease beginning to take over again.
"If this is to discuss business, I don't have the data ready right now."
Lin Nuo's distinctively jointed fingers rested on the steering wheel. He didn't even turn his head, showing no intention of answering her at all.
...
Half an hour later, the maybach stopped in front of a luxurious building full of privacy.
This was a top-tier private club under the Star Umbrella Group, which only received people personally authorized by Lin Nuo.
Susan was half-pushed, half-carried by Lin Nuo into an exclusive elevator that went straight to the top floor.
The elevator doors opened, and what came into view was an exaggeratedly spacious private flat.
The thick Persian carpet absorbed the sound of her high heels.
The lighting in the entire space was dimmed, exuding a romantic atmosphere that made one blush and their heart race.
"Sit down!" Lin Nuo issued the command.
Susan's legs had long since gone weak and couldn't stand; she obediently walked over to that huge genuine leather sofa and sat down.
Lin Nuo walked to the bar on the side and casually snapped his fingers crisply.
Soon, the closed double-leaf carved wooden doors were pushed open. More than a dozen waiters in uniform pushed a long row of mobile garment racks and filed in.
The racks were filled with all kinds of the highest-level custom evening gowns of the season.
The waiters following behind held velvet trays filled with dazzling jewelry.
The luxury of the entire room completely exceeded the limits of Susan's perception. She had previously always stayed in a Brooklyn Underground Room, living a frugal life.
Lin Nuo walked to the side of the sofa, crossing his long, straight legs, his posture languid.
He pointed at the row of priceless clothing in front of him, his tone casual: "Pick one you like."
Susan sat blankly in her place, her hands nervously twisted together, even her breathing becoming light.
"Mr. Lin... this doesn't follow the rules. I am just the liaison for the Star Umbrella investment project; I cannot accept these things..."
"Rules?" Lin Nuo laughed in a low voice, the vibration in his chest particularly clear in the quiet space.
He stood up, strode forward with his long legs, and walked step by step in front of Susan.
The man's tall body blocked the light source from the ceiling lamp. That oppressive shadow completely enveloped her.
Lin Nuo leaned down, his hands resting on the back of the sofa on both sides of Susan's body.
This was a dangerous and possessive posture of enclosure.
The distance between the two was too close, so close that even their breaths could intertwine.
"In my territory, I am the rule!"
Lin Nuo lowered his head. His high-bridged nose brushed against Susan's hot earlobe intentionally or unintentionally, and his low, hoarse voice drilled directly into her eardrum.
"That nerd fiancé of yours, whose head is full of scrap metal, made you wait in the restaurant like a joke for three hours."
"He made you feel that your seven years of youth were worthless."
"But just because he is blind doesn't mean I am too!"
The man's fingers lifted, and his rough fingertips pinched her petite chin.
Susan had to look directly into those eyes, which were hidden behind gold-rimmed glasses, surging with desire.
"The value Reed ignored, I will compensate you for it at ten times, a hundred times the scale!"
Lin Nuo's fingers slowly slid down her jawline, his fingertips lifting the side of her long, fair neck.
"A brain as smart as yours, a face as beautiful as yours, should not be buried!"
"They shouldn't be thrown into a pile of waste paper that smells of engine oil."
Susan was completely struck in her weak spot by these words.
The self-esteem she had been struggling to uphold collapsed completely in the face of the favoritism this man built up with money and dominance.
"Why me..." Susan bit her red lips, mist filling her eyes, her voice carrying a pleading whimper.
"You could clearly use funds to buy anything you want..."
"Why?" Lin Nuo's large hand went down along her neckline.
The back of his finger brushed lightly across the edge of her collarbone, causing her body to tremble uncontrollably.
"Because you are Susan Storm, because I have taken a fancy to you!" Lin Nuo did not hide his ambition at all.
"Since you signed that agreement, even you yourself are already my collateral."
"Does spending a little money on the private property under my name need a reason?"
Susan wanted to resist this objectified positioning.
But she sadly discovered that she actually felt a perverse sense of security in this term.
As long as she stayed under this man's wings, she would never have to face those cold data points again, nor would she have to endure the torture of being ignored.
"Put it on."
Lin Nuo pointed to the eye-catching royal blue velvet evening gown in the middle of the rack.
"If you want me to help you change personally, I don't mind either."