In front of the villa gate, Meng Xi glanced at the dark sky in frustration. The rent for her apartment was already due for the next year's payment, she was only an actress in training now, her position in the company was too low to get her a hostel, and her only choice was to scout with her best friend, Gu Xixi, but the latter was also away on a trip.
She pinched the space between her brows and drew in a disgruntled breath. She looked around and flagged down a taxi. The car stopped and she climbed in. She reached into her purse and found a crumbled note and handed it over to the driver.
"Take me to this address, thanks" she hissed and leaned back into the car seat. Closing her eyes, she sighed softly and pushed back all of her messy thoughts. She did not know how many minutes it was but, after a while, she snapped out of her daze when she heard the driver's voice.
"We have reached, miss," the driver said and the car pulled over in front of a big gate. Meng Xi paid the fare and climbed out of the car. She walked in the direction of the gaze with unhurried steps.
"Stop!" the deep voice of the security guard made her steps halt. She frowned and pinched the space between her brows.
She shot a look at the guard and forced out a polite smile on her face, "hello," she greeted.
"I am sorry for stopping you, Miss. Strangers are not allowed here so, could you please show your identity card or report your name?" the guard queried.
"Meng Xi"
The guard heard this, his eyes widened and he straightened his back instantly. He could not help but remember the instruction from the mansion to specifically attend properly to a certain lady. Seeing the woman standing before him, his eyes could not help but sparkle with unknown excitement.
"Ah, so it is you, Miss Xi, you are welcome, come in!" He voiced and saluted.
Meng Xi's brows arched slightly, "thank you" she muttered as she walked into the gates. She could not tell the reason for the change in the guard's behavior so she brushed it off from her mind as soon as she walked away.
"Hello, Miss Xi, please, come with me, master is waiting for you in the study" A young vibrant lady who seem slightly older than Meng Xi received her as soon as she walked into the house.
Meng Xi quirked a brow in a bit of a daze as she looked around the house. Since she was originally born into a wealthy home, she was briefly astounded to see the place she had walked into.
In the entire country, there were only three high-class housing areas and Riverside Palace happened to be the first recognized one and the most exquisite housing area for the wealthy. A house in Riverside Palace costs a lot of millions of dollars.
Meng Xi realized that she had not paid attention to this before, and now, she understood why it seemed that the security guard was strict with formalities before anyone got in.
The interior decor and furnishing style of the apartment was far more expensive compared to her family's villa. The pleasant and homely color scheme along with the high-end art on the wall made it seem like she walked into a new world.
She narrowed her eyes slightly. Who exactly had she married? She wondered. Then, she sneered inwardly, maybe another rich man's son or a playboy—
"Miss Xi, this is the master's study, please go in" the vibrant lady's voice drew her back from her reverie. She looked up and saw that they were already standing in front of a door.
The looked at the lady and gave a slight nod, "thank you" she muttered and offered a polite smile. The lady returned her smile before scurrying away. Meng Xi did not even notice the slight blush that appeared on tge lady's face as she was rushing off.
Meng Xi glanced at the door thoughtfully before knocking. Following her knock, a deep muffled response came from within.
"Come in"
She inhaled deeply and pushed the door open and walked into the study. Behind a desk sat the familiar man she met earlier that day, he appeared serious as he was going through a couple of documents that were spread before him. He was so engrossed that he did not raise his head even after she had walked in.
She saw him turn to the computer in front of him briefly and he said some words that she barely understood. Whether it was Italian or Spanish, she could not tell. A minute or two had passed, and she was still standing, she threw her gaze away from him slightly irritated, and tucked her hands in her pocket.
Was he acting to be a busy person in front of her? She snorted in her head and peered closely at the painting on the left side of the room. Because of her shortsightedness, she could not see the portrait of the young girl clearly and for some reason, she found it familiar—
Just at that moment, the man looked up in her direction, he only caught her side view that was turned to him. He arched a brow and smirked. Without her noticing, he stood up and walked in her direction. He stopped behind her and also glanced in the direction she was looking.
"Do you want that painting?"
Meng Xi who had been distracted trying to decipher the image on the painting suddenly jolted at the sound of his voice, her body knocked into him in her attempt to whirl around and she was caught in his embrace before she tripped. For a second or two, she was stunned.
A deep thrill zapped through her body from the hand holding her waist, his palm was warm, but what escaped through her cloth was a scourging heat that grazed her skin. The mixture of his natural body scent and a mild sandalwood cologne clouded her senses briefly until—
"Or, you want me instead, Mrs. Lu?"