MaeHestia

Liyana Xu is the kind of woman men fear-and secretly desire. As the ruthless CEO of Xu Enterprises, she rules the corporate world with an iron fist, making empires crumble with a single decision. Love is a weakness she refuses to entertain. Enter Damien Lu, the only man powerful enough to stand against her. Cold, calculating, and dangerously charming, he returns from abroad, determined to take over the business world-and her heart. Their first encounter? A high-stakes corporate war that turns into a personal battle. Damien doesn't just want to defeat her-he wants to own her. As power struggles turn into stolen kisses and heated encounters, the lines between rivalry and obsession blur. But in a world where betrayal lurks behind every corner, can they trust their hearts-or will their love become their greatest downfall?

His Rival, His Obsession

Damien's Perspective

The office was deathly silent, save for the slow ticking of the clock on the wall. Damien's grip on the phone tightened as Lin Hao's voice slithered through the speaker.

Damien's jaw clenched. "Where is she?"

Lin Hao chuckled, slow and deliberate. "Straight to the point. But where's the fun in that? You see, Damien, you cost me millions when you cut ties with me. Money, reputation, business deals—I lost it all because of you."

Damien remained silent, his mind sharp despite the boiling rage beneath his calm exterior.

'This isn't about money. This is personal'

"What do you want?" Damien's voice was ice.

Lin Hao hummed as if contemplating. "For now? I want to see you sweat. To see if the great Damien Lu—the man who crushed empires and built his own—is willing to crawl for something… or someone he cares about."

Damien's fingers twitched. Liyana.

Lin Hao's next words were a taunt. "She's quite the beauty, isn't she? Such delicate skin… I wonder how long before she breaks—"

Damien's patience snapped. "Touch her, and I'll bury you."

Lin Hao only laughed. "Ah, now that's the Damien I wanted to hear."

There was a pause before Lin Hao added, "Don't worry. I'm a businessman first. She's just leverage. I'll give you a location soon. But if you want her back in one piece… you better come alone."

The phone screen nearly cracked under Damien's grip. His breath came slow and heavy, his entire body coiled with lethal intent.

"Sir," Gao Wei spoke cautiously. "We can track the call—"

"No," Damien cut him off, slipping into his suit jacket. His voice was steel. "He wants me alone? Fine. I'll give him what he wants."

"Get the car ready," Damien ordered. Then, darkly, "And have a team on standby. If anything happens to Liyana… I'll burn everything down."

Liyana's Perspective

Liyana kept her posture straight, refusing to let Lin Hao see the faint tremor in her fingers.

"I don't know what you're expecting," she said coolly. "But Damien won't play your games."

Lin Hao smirked, circling her like a predator. "Oh, he will."

She held his gaze. "You're underestimating him."

Lin Hao chuckled. "And you're underestimating me."

At that moment, the door to the warehouse creaked open. One of Lin Hao's men stepped in, whispering something into his ear.

Lin Hao's smirk widened. He turned back to Liyana, eyes gleaming.

"Well, well," he said, amusement dripping from his tone. "It seems your knight in shining armor is on his way."

Chapter 27: The Game Begins