Wu Yuxuan's fury

His voice dropped to a silky murmur. "I have connections. I could make one phone call and your name would be back in the headlines—in a good way, this time. Regain everything you lost, climb even higher. You worked so hard to get where you are, it would be such a waste to let it all slip away."

Chen Lin's phone buzzed with a notification, breaking the tension for a split second.

Then, seconds later, it rang—a call. The sound was sharp, intrusive.

She took a breath, forcing down the irritation bubbling beneath the surface.

"Is that how you see me?" she asked, her voice dangerously calm. "Just some woman desperate enough to sell herself for an opportunity?"

Xu Jianhong smirked. "I see you as someone smart enough to know when to take a good deal."

Chen Lin tilted her head, meeting his gaze with something ice-cold. "You think you can buy me?"

His fingers tightened slightly around her wrist. "I think everyone has a price. Even you."