Nicholas, Zhiyuan

The panic that gripped Nicholas vanished as quickly as it came.

He exhaled slowly, his fingers relaxing as he leaned back in his chair. His thoughts settled, and clarity returned. So, she was still obsessed with him.

Of course, she was.

Liying never let go of what she wanted.

A humourless smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. He had seen firsthand how dangerous obsession could be. He knew it well because he had lived it- he had lost himself in it.

His mind wandered back to the past. To her.

His Yue'er.

Ming Yue had been everything to him, the only thing that truly mattered. Yet, even with all his cunning, all his intelligence, he had wasted too much time. He had allowed himself to be distracted, had played a dangerous game with Liying for too long. He thought he had control.

But in the end, nothing had mattered.

Not the empire he built.

Not the power he gained.