Stumbling into the Devil’s Den

The darkness wrapped around Zi Yan like a suffocating blanket.

Her body burned, heat surging through her veins like liquid fire. Her mind swam between consciousness and a heavy, inescapable haze. She wanted to wake up, to move, to fight—but her limbs felt weak, as if drained of all strength.

The faint scent of sandalwood filled her nose—clean, crisp, yet cold. The sensation of warmth beneath her fingertips barely registered, but it was different from the icy chill in her bones.

A voice, deep and sharp, cut through the silence.

"Who sent you?"

The words dragged Zi Yan from the fog clouding her mind. Her eyelashes fluttered, struggling to open. Her throat was dry, her lips slightly parted as she gasped for air.

A shadow loomed over her, tall and imposing. Even in her dazed state, she felt the weight of his presence—a silent pressure, a force that demanded attention.

Her vision blurred, then sharpened for a moment.

Lu Yichen.

Her heart clenched.

Everyone in the business world knew his name. He wasn't just rich—he was dangerous. The heir to the powerful Lu Group, Lu Yichen controlled industries with a ruthless grip. His mere presence could decide the fate of companies, turning empires into dust with a single command.

But he wasn't just a businessman.

Rumors surrounded him like shadows. Some said he had ties to the underground, that his enemies disappeared without a trace. Others whispered that he was heartless, a man who cared for nothing and no one.

And now, she was in his room.

Zi Yan forced her lips to move, but no sound came out. Her body refused to cooperate, the drug still wreaking havoc on her system.

Lu Yichen's gaze swept over her, cold and assessing. His sharp, defined features remained unreadable, his dark eyes piercing into her like a blade.

She tried to sit up, but a fresh wave of dizziness sent her collapsing back onto the soft mattress.

A hint of impatience flickered across his face.

"I'll ask again," he said, his voice dangerously low. "Who sent you?"

Zi Yan's breathing was uneven, her chest rising and falling rapidly. Her hands gripped the sheets, trying to anchor herself.

He thinks I was sent here.

Panic surged through her.

She had to speak, had to explain. But before she could, a sharp knock echoed through the room.

Lu Yichen's gaze didn't waver from her face as he strode to the door and pulled it open.

A man in his late forties, dressed in a dark suit, entered briskly. His expression was calm, professional.

"Master Lu," the man greeted. "You called for me?"

"Check her," Lu Yichen ordered.

Zi Yan barely had time to react before the man, clearly a doctor, moved to her side. His hands were quick but gentle as he checked her pulse, then examined her pupils.

"She's been drugged," the doctor confirmed after a moment. "A high-dose aphrodisiac, mixed with a mild sedative. Whoever did this wanted her disoriented and unable to resist."

A chilling silence filled the room.

Zi Yan saw Lu Yichen's fingers tighten at his side, but his face remained impassive.

She turned her head weakly, her voice hoarse. "I… I didn't come here on purpose."

Lu Yichen's gaze flickered to her, unreadable.

"I was at the gala," she continued, forcing the words out. "Someone drugged me… I—" Her breath hitched. "I don't even know how I got here."

The doctor finished his examination and turned to Lu Yichen. "She needs to flush the drug out of her system. She should rest for a few hours, drink plenty of water."

Lu Yichen nodded once. "Leave."

The doctor hesitated, glancing at Zi Yan. "Master Lu, if she—"

"I said leave," Lu Yichen repeated, his tone colder.

The doctor sighed and packed up his things before quietly exiting the room.

The silence stretched.

Zi Yan swallowed, trying to steady her breathing. The fever burning through her body hadn't faded, but her mind was clearer now. She looked at Lu Yichen warily.

"I don't expect you to believe me," she said, her voice raw. "But I have nothing to do with you. Someone set me up."

Lu Yichen didn't respond.

Instead, he walked to the bar counter, poured a glass of water, and returned to her side. He held it out, his expression unreadable.

Zi Yan hesitated.

Then, with trembling fingers, she reached for the glass.

Their hands brushed for the briefest second.

A strange sensation flickered through her, but she ignored it, taking small sips of the water. The cool liquid soothed her throat, bringing some relief.

Lu Yichen watched her, silent.

Minutes passed. The tension in the air remained thick, but neither of them spoke.

Finally, he moved.

He walked to the window, staring out into the night cityscape. "If I hadn't been the one in this room," he said quietly, "do you know what would've happened to you?"

Zi Yan stiffened.

She knew.

If she had collapsed into another man's room, drugged and vulnerable, the consequences would have been disastrous.

Her body tensed at the thought.

"You were lucky," Lu Yichen continued, turning back to her. "But luck doesn't last forever."

Zi Yan gritted her teeth. "I don't need you to lecture me."

A ghost of a smirk crossed his lips, but it was gone before she could process it.

"You should leave," he said simply.

Zi Yan pushed herself up, ignoring the lingering dizziness. Her dress, wrinkled from the night's chaos, clung to her skin. She barely felt the fabric against her as she swung her legs over the bed.

Then, she spotted her phone on the nightstand.

A single notification flashed across the screen.

Breaking News: Zi Yan Spotted Leaving Mysterious CEO's Room in the Middle of the Night!

Her breath caught.

With trembling fingers, she unlocked her phone. Dozens of notifications flooded her screen—messages, calls, social media exploding with speculation.

Her hands turned ice-cold.

Then, a text from Guo Bao.

Guo Bao: You disgust me. We're over.

Zi Yan's stomach twisted.

She gripped the phone tighter, her nails digging into her palm. He didn't even ask what happened.

Just like that, she had been discarded.

Betrayal. Humiliation. Rage.

They crashed into her all at once, a tidal wave of emotions threatening to drown her.

She took a shaky breath and turned to Lu Yichen.

"Do you have a car waiting?" she asked, her voice steady despite the storm inside her.

Lu Yichen studied her for a moment, his gaze sharp. Then, he pressed a button on the wall.

Within seconds, a deep voice answered.

"Prepare a car for Miss Zi."

Zi Yan nodded, gripping the phone tighter as she stood.

She wasn't just walking out of this room.

She was stepping into war.