“Should I Get You More of Those Little Films?”

Coming from the corridor, Elena had barely reached the private lounge next door when she looked up—still unsettled from seeing Adrian—only to catch sight of Ethan standing a few steps away, right outside the neighboring suite.

Her eyes paused for a moment.

Suppressing all her emotions, she quickly walked toward him.

The moment she saw Ethan, he also happened to look in her direction.

She stepped closer under his gaze and was the first to speak.

"Ethan, what are you doing out here?"

"I came to check on you," he replied, his eyes lingering briefly on her face. "But when I walked in, you weren't there."

"I just went to the restroom," she explained.

Ethan gently rubbed her head, eyes softening as he looked at the clear and delicate features before him. He was just about to ask if she wanted to stay and hang out for a bit longer—

But before he could speak, the door behind him suddenly opened from the inside.

Instinctively, Elena turned toward the door.

It was Annie who opened it. She had come out to find her friend after noticing she'd been gone quite a while, but the moment she saw Elena chatting with Ethan outside, her eyes lit up.

She blinked, then instinctively tried to shut the door and pretend she'd never opened it.

But before she could escape, both Ethan and Elena had already turned their heads.

Annie didn't dare to slam the door in Ethan's face.

Matching Elena in timidity, the heiress forced herself to smile, hooking her arm through Elena's and saying cheerfully, "Mr. Jiang, I need to borrow your Elena for a bit—we're short one player."

She even added sweetly, "If that's okay?"

Ethan turned to Elena, his expression unreadable but gentle as he nodded toward the room. "Go ahead. Have fun."

With his permission granted, Annie swiftly pulled Elena back inside and shut the door behind them once Ethan returned to the other suite.

Once inside, Annie didn't immediately lead Elena toward the card table. Instead, she stood still, mulling over what she had just witnessed, her face practically glowing with delight.

The more she thought about it, the brighter her eyes became.

She nudged Elena with her elbow, grinning mischievously. "Elena, you and your Mr. Jiang seems to be getting along quite well."

That subtle tone of indulgence in his voice when he'd said "go ahead" had not escaped Annie's ears.

She had once worried that her best friend's marriage would be cold and distant, an arrangement in name only. But now… this was the kind of domestic bliss that could make others green with envy.

Annie was so thrilled she almost forgot the game entirely. Her gaze sharpened, fixated on Elena like a curious little fox, eyes brimming with excitement and mischief.

She leaned in close. "So it's true—once you've shared a bed, all that awkwardness just magically disappears. Instant intimacy."

Elena: "…"

Annie giggled. "Come on, Elena. Tell me, how do you two get along in private?"

"And those little movies—did they help? If they did, I could find you more—mmph!"

Before she could finish her sentence, Elena clamped a hand over her mouth.

Those ten "educational" films had nearly killed her—now did Annie want to get her more?

Was she trying to send her to an early grave on Ethan's bed?!

Over at the booth, where cards were being shuffled by Silas and another girl, Frank's cousin, Miss Summer Mo, called out with teasing impatience:

"Hey, you two princesses—are you coming or not? We're not just missing one anymore; now it's two!"

Elena finally let go of her mischievous friend and walked over. "Coming."

—

Having sent Director Lucas off, Grace made her way back to the eighth floor.

But before she could reach the suite door, she was stopped by two servers.

Her expression tightened, but she forced a smile and spoke kindly. "I'm just heading in to meet a friend. You should recognize me—I just stepped out not long ago—"

"Sorry, miss," one of the servers cut her off, her tone detached and official. "We haven't received permission for you to enter."

He raised a hand, making a clear gesture. "Please leave at once."

Grace's expression turned ugly.

She wanted to argue, but the servers were unshakable—immune to both charm and pressure. More importantly, she is a public figure now. If someone caught this scene on camera, the fallout could be disastrous.

Swallowing her frustration, she managed to maintain her mask of gentility, gave a stiff nod, and turned away.

From the other end of the corridor, Silas arrived just in time to catch sight of her retreating figure in heels. He didn't pause, walking straight toward the suite.

The servers immediately straightened, bowing respectfully as they opened the door for him. Once he stepped in, they shut the door behind him.

Grace, for all her rising fame in the entertainment world, still couldn't breach this circle of true power and wealth.

Inside the lounge, Silas made no mention of her. Instead, he strode straight toward Adrian, who sat on the sofa nursing a drink, looking like a storm cloud.

"I heard your brother's here at 'Nightfall' tonight. Want to go say hi?"

Adrian didn't answer immediately.

The others—Frank, Zane, and a few more—glanced at him. Ever since he returned from his brief departure earlier, he'd been in an unshakably foul mood.

Sensing the tension, Silas took a seat beside him with his drink in hand, shooting the others a questioning look.

Before anyone could respond, Adrian, his eyes lowered, fingers tight around his glass, finally spoke in a low voice:

"I already did. No need to go again."

Silas studied him for a moment. He wasn't entirely sure what had happened, but it had to be about her.

Earlier, he'd heard that tonight, Ethan—who had never once stepped foot in 'Nightfall' since returning to the country—was unexpectedly here.

And so was Elena.

If Adrian had run into both of them… it didn't take a genius to figure out why he looked like death warmed over.

Silas sighed inwardly but chose not to press further.

Their group had grown up together—they knew when to speak and when to stay silent.

Sensing the somber mood, Frank redirected the conversation with a teasing jab: "So, what've you been up to lately? You've been dodging our hangouts like the plague. What, a bag of cash fell from the sky, and you've been busy collecting?"

Silas took a long drink, groaning. "Don't even start. My fiancée's been dragging me into the company every day. I haven't had a decent night's sleep in over a week. If I hadn't just closed a deal under my dad's nose yesterday, I probably wouldn't even be here tonight."

The group laughed.

They were all the youngest sons, most with older brothers shielding them from corporate responsibility. But now, as they entered their mid-twenties, the parental pressure had begun in earnest.

Silas wasn't the exception—just the first domino to fall.

As the conversation drifted to tales of being forced into the family business, Silas casually mentioned something he'd overheard at a recent board meeting.

"During the last directors' meeting, I heard that the Shen Group had a stock plunge last week. Almost broke their capital chain."

Frank frowned. "The Shen Group? With Aurel Shen at the helm? How the hell does that happen?"

Silas replied, "Apparently, Aurel was in a car crash. No one was in charge at the time. It almost imploded—until Ethan stepped in with emergency funding."

As he finished, several heads turned toward Adrian.

News of the Shen Group's crisis had been kept tightly under wraps—Ethan had handled it swiftly and discretely to avoid panic and further losses.

Only a few insiders knew what had happened.

Curious, the group held back their questions, watching as Adrian's expression shifted dramatically.

Then, with rare urgency in his voice, he turned to Silas. "When exactly did that happen?"

Silas blinked. "Uh… about a week ago?"

Adrian shot to his feet without another word and stormed out.

Leaving behind a room full of confusion.