Amidst the cutting-edge skyline of the Pudong Economic Zone, the private office of CK Group's Corporate Strategy Department had been transformed into an exclusive sanctuary where luxury and suffocating tension bled into one. The walls, paneled in deep espresso leather and exquisite woodwork, absorbed the ambient sound. Warm-white light from a sleek designer chandelier cast long, jagged shadows across contemporary bronze statues—silent sentinels guarding a den of secrets.
Li Wenjie, the twenty-seven-year-old heir, stood rigid beside his desk. His tailored suit was flawless, yet he could not stop his hands from trembling as he gripped a dark blue dossier. His knuckles were bone-white. Inside that file lay the life story of Gawin—the CEO from across the sea who had become a thorn lodged deep in his pride.
Slam!
The heavy dossier hit the mahogany desk with a thunderous crack, shattering the silence. The vibration sent a gold-nibbed fountain pen rolling off the edge, plunging into the thick pile of the carpet like a fallen soldier.
"It seems this Thai CEO... is more than just a lucky amateur," Wenjie hissed through gritted teeth. His eyes, sharp as a hawk's, flickered to the photo in the file. Gawin's confident smile seemed to mock him, a pre-emptive celebration of a victory Wenjie hadn't even begun to fight.
In a corner where the light failed to reach, Mingzhi—the strategist who served as the shadow at Wenjie's side—sat reclined on a leather sofa. He held a delicate ceramic teacup with steady fingers, the rising steam veiling the fox-like glint behind his spectacles.
"He is exactly as you predicted, master," Mingzhi said smoothly, setting the cup down on the glass table without a sound. "Gawin is not merely a profit-hungry investor. He knows exactly how to position himself to entice the board, and he knows precisely which words will sway a man like the Chairman."
Wenjie spun around, his eyes swirling with a storm of paranoia. "You think he's using this Hydrogen project... as a ladder to take my seat as President?"
Mingzhi didn't answer immediately. He reached out, picking up the discarded file and leafing through it slowly, as if savoring the details of an enemy's brilliance.
"Gawin's capability is something even an enemy cannot deny," Mingzhi said, looking up with a piercing gaze. "But what is more concerning than his talent is the question you must start asking yourself: Why did the Chairman cross oceans to find an outsider to lead the 'heart' of CK Group? This project should have been the stage for you to prove your worth before the succession."
The words were like poisoned needles puncturing Wenjie's confidence. Seeing the cracks widen, the old strategist leaned in to stoke the fire.
"The Chairman may see something in Gawin that he has been searching for in you... or worse, he is building a parallel power structure to keep you in check. If the Hydrogen project succeeds under Gawin's name, his reputation will hold the board hostage. Even a blood son like yourself might be forced to bow to the massive profits he generates."
Wenjie's fist clenched until his nails bit into his palms. The thought of his father valuing an outsider more than him was a wildfire consuming his soul. "My father... values a stranger more than me?"
Mingzhi softened his voice, feigning the tone of a worried ally. "In business terms, the Chairman might just be appeasing investors to smooth the deal. But that is only the mask."
He rose slowly, walking over to stand directly in front of Wenjie. He leaned in, his whisper raspy yet crystal clear. "The terrifying truth is that Gawin has already neutralized Lu Rong and repurposed KCC's ruins to save the firm $45 million. That number is a roar heard by every board member. It says 'He is the real deal'—more so than anyone else in this room."
Silence reclaimed the office, save for the hum of the climate control. Wenjie felt as though he had been publicly slapped. The arrogance he had carried his whole life was crumbling under the weight of a man he had known for only days.
"I won't let that happen," Wenjie growled, his eyes clouding with cold malice. "If he's so 'brilliant,' I'll show everyone that his brilliance is nothing more than a glass illusion, ready to be shattered."
He looked at Mingzhi with a ruthless resolve. "We make the board and my father lose every ounce of faith they have in him. We break it beyond repair. We'll turn his 'elegant' project into the most expensive mistake of his life!"
Mingzhi's lips curled into a satisfied smirk. The provocation had hit its mark. He bowed his head slightly, the light reflecting off his glasses to hide the predator's eyes beneath.
"Understood, master... I shall see to it immediately."