Jun Xinyi staggered into her apartment and shut the door behind her. The silence pressed in on her ears.
She walked straight to the floor-length mirror.
The red scar on her forehead glared back at her like a mockery.
An ugly reminder.
Her jaw tightened. With a frustrated sigh, she sank onto the edge of the bed, fingers digging into the sheets. Her eyes darkened with venom as she imagined crushing Ling Mei beneath her heels.
That woman always found a way to emerge victorious.
And then—
The image of the tall, towering man surfaced in her mind.
Jun Xinyi stiffened.
The cold, suffocating aura he carried… it wasn't ordinary. Even now, remembering it made her spine tingle. Whoever he was, he clearly wasn't someone to offend lightly.
And he had said it so naturally.
"She's my woman."
Jun Xinyi's brows furrowed.
Just who exactly was Ling Mei?
Her instincts had been right all along. Ling Mei had powerful backing.
Slowly, a sly smile curved onto her lips.
If she could get evidence of that "secret relationship"… if she could expose the identity of that mysterious man…
The headlines alone would be explosive.
A-list model involved with a powerful tycoon?
It could drag Ling Mei's spotless image straight into controversy.
And that was exactly what Jun Xinyi craved.
Back at Ling Mei's apartment, Yan Yi paced restlessly.
"We could retrieve the footage from that night," Yan Yi said suddenly. "The parking lot has CCTV cameras."
Ling Mei shook her head. "Jun Xinyi isn't that stupid, YiYi. If there was evidence, she's already destroyed it."
Yan Yi folded her arms, frustration written all over her face. "She's a scheming woman. She could flip this around on you. President Fe—"
"Don't bring him up," Ling Mei cut in sharply. "I can handle this myself."
Yan Yi sighed.
Silence fell between them.
"What's my schedule today?" Ling Mei asked, rubbing her forehead.
"You have a shoot with Allure Cosmetics at 2 p.m."
"Cancel it."
Yan Yi's eyes widened. "That would be breaching the contract."
"My arm is injured. Push it to the end of the week. Three days."
"Your arm won't heal in three days."
Ling Mei lifted her gaze, calm but firm. "Trust me. Move it."
Yan Yi exhaled heavily, muttering a curse under her breath about Jun Xinyi before leaving to handle the rescheduling.
Once the door shut, Ling Mei's palms grew damp.
She had to act before Jun Xinyi did.
Later that evening, Guo Yan arrived at Green Vine Estate.
The doorbell rang.
Ling Mei already knew who it was. Wei Chen had informed her earlier that the doctor would be coming for a follow-up examination.
It was time.
She opened the door with an unusually sweet smile.
Guo Yan blinked, slightly taken aback. An A-list model smiling at him so warmly felt… suspicious.
"Would you like something to drink, Master Guo?" she asked politely.
"There's no need, Miss Ling. I'm here to examine your hand."
She nodded and led him inside.
"It's fortunate my face wasn't injured," she said lightly.
Guo Yan gave a small nod. A scar on her face would have been devastating to her career.
He carefully removed the bandage and examined the swelling.
"The inflammation is improving. With proper rest, you should recover fully in about two weeks."
Ling Mei hesitated.
"I… need your help with something, Master Guo."
He paused. "What does Miss Ling require?"
Her fingers tightened against her injured arm.
"I need something that can accelerate the healing."
His gaze sharpened instantly.
"That would be dangerous."
"I know," she replied softly. "But I need my arm functional within three days."
Guo Yan frowned. "Steroid injections come with side effects. Increased heart rate. Insomnia. Dizziness. You may even experience weakness."
"I understand."
Her voice was steady, but her eyes betrayed urgency.
"I need this."
He studied her for a long moment.
Whatever she was planning, it was clearly important.
Finally, he sighed.
"I can administer a methylprednisolone injection alongside anti-inflammatory medication. But you must be on strict rest for seventy-two hours."
He paused.
"And President Feng must never know."
Ling Mei's lashes lowered slightly.
That was a condition she had already decided to accept.