chapter 5

Around the corner, I found Ji Yanli surrounded by children as he handed out candy one piece at a time. A smile rested on his face, making him seem entirely different from the aloof, noble figure he presented at school.

He genuinely loved children.

I watched in silence for a moment before walking over with a smile. “President, why haven’t you left?”

Instead of answering, he stared at the tiny red specks on the hem of my dress.

“Is that… blood?”

I looked down and explained with perfect calm. “One of the children had a nosebleed. It must have gotten on my dress by accident.”

He did not suspect me. “When are you leaving? We’re in the suburbs, and taxis are hard to find. Would you like a ride?”

I shook my head. “No, thank you. I came with a friend.”

He noticed the car parked in the distance, nodded in understanding, and turned to go.

I watched his retreating figure.

Then he suddenly looked back, a faint smile at the corner of his mouth. “Shen Man, the student council will always welcome you back.”

For some reason, my heart clenched.

“I know.”

Once his car vanished from sight, Xia Zhi emerged slowly from the shadows and stared in the same direction.

“Did he notice something just now?”

“Perhaps,” I said indifferently. “It doesn’t matter.”

Ji Yanli could hardly conclude that I had murdered someone from a few specks of blood.

Besides, I had not actually killed anyone.

A cool breeze swept past. Xia Zhi draped his coat over my shoulders and asked gently, “Who’s next?”

I glanced at him and smiled.

“Zhao Ming.”

It was his turn.

Standing outside the private room where we had agreed to meet, I sent the message I had composed.

President, Zhao Ming asked me to meet him at a hotel. I’m terrified. Could you come get me?

Delivered.

I smiled and pushed open the door.

Zhao Ming sat in the middle of the sofa with one leg crossed over the other, his face tight with impatience. At the sight of me, he broke into a wicked smile and strode over.

I backed away warily. “What do you want?”

“To court you, of course. I’m making you my girlfriend.”

He lifted my chin, his eyes thick with lust.

“Get lost!” I slapped his hand away in disgust. “Don’t touch me—”

My resistance enraged him. He flung me to the floor.

“You ungrateful bitch. I can have trash like you kicked out of this school in a minute!

“Know your place. You think you’re good enough to steal my sister’s man?”

I gripped his wrist through the pain. “So you only pursued me for your sister?”

He sneered. “What else? Did you really think I’d want a scholarship charity case? Keep pretending you’re pure. Let’s see you keep up the act after I sleep with you.”

He bent over my neck, inhaled deeply, and reached for the buttons of my blouse.

I glanced at the camera in the corner, then leaned close to his ear and spoke one word at a time.

“Aren’t you an illegitimate son who licked Zhao Ruo’s boots to get into the Zhao family? Do you really think that makes you a young master? You’re nothing but her dog.”

His shameful birth was the one thing Zhao Ming could never tolerate.

His face darkened instantly. He clamped both hands around my throat and snarled through his teeth, “You bitch. I’ll kill you!”

The air vanished from my lungs. I thrashed desperately.

“Let go… Let go of me—”

Just before I blacked out, the door crashed open and a group of people rushed in.

They saw Zhao Ming’s face twisted with rage as he strangled me.

And me, sprawled beneath him.

Motionless.

As if I were dead.