Chapter 2

The morning sun rose over Shanghai, bathing the city's towering skyline in a warm golden glow. Glass skyscrapers shimmered like polished diamonds, reflecting the endless movement below. Luxury cars glided through the financial district, while thousands of professionals hurried toward another day of meetings, negotiations, and impossible deadlines.

Standing above it all was the headquarters of *Gu Group*.

At sixty-eight stories high, the building dominated the city's skyline. Its sleek steel-and-glass exterior was a symbol of power, wealth, and influence. For decades, Gu Group had been one of China's most respected conglomerates, with investments spanning real estate, technology, finance, healthcare, and international trade.

People often joked that if Gu Group sneezed, the Shanghai stock market might caught a cold.

At precisely 8:00 a.m., a black Rolls-Royce Phantom pulled smoothly into the underground parking garage.

The chauffeur stepped out first and opened the rear door.

A pair of polished black leather shoes touched the ground.

Then came the man everyone had been waiting for.

Gu Yichen.

Tall and broad-shouldered, he carried himself with quiet authority. His perfectly tailored charcoal suit fit his powerful frame effortlessly. Sharp features, dark eyes, and an expression that revealed nothing made him look every bit the billionaire president the business world feared.

Employees standing nearby immediately lowered their heads.

"Good morning, President Gu."

He acknowledged them with a slight nod before walking toward the private elevator.

His footsteps were steady.

Unhurried.

Every movement radiated confidence.

No one dared slow him down with unnecessary conversation.

Inside the elevator, his assistant, Chen Wei, handed him a digital tablet.

"Good morning, President Gu."

"Morning."

"You have the board meeting at nine, a video conference with our European partners at eleven, lunch with the mayor at one, and an acquisition meeting this afternoon."

Gu Yichen skimmed through the schedule.

"Move the acquisition meeting to tomorrow."

"Yes, sir."

"And cancel lunch."

"The mayor personally requested—"

"I said cancel it."

Chen Wei nodded immediately.

"Understood."

Years of working together had taught him one thing.

Never argue with Gu Yichen before his first cup of coffee.

The elevator doors opened directly into the executive floor.

The entire floor fell silent.

Secretaries stopped talking.

Department managers straightened instinctively.

Even seasoned executives became noticeably more formal.

Gu Yichen acknowledged no one as he walked into his office.

The room overlooked nearly all of Shanghai.

Floor-to-ceiling windows stretched across one side, offering a breathtaking view of the Huangpu River winding through the city.

Most people would have admired it.

Gu Yichen barely glanced outside.

For him, views were distractions.

Work came first.

Always.

He placed his briefcase on the desk and immediately opened the financial reports waiting for his signature.

Within minutes, he had corrected three accounting mistakes that senior executives had overlooked.

Chen Wei watched quietly.

Sometimes he wondered if his boss actually slept.

A knock interrupted the silence.

"Come in."

The finance director entered nervously.

"President Gu..."

"The quarterly projections?"

"They're ready."

Gu Yichen accepted the report.

His eyes moved quickly across each page.

After less than a minute, he closed the folder.

"The revenue forecast for Southeast Asia is unrealistic."

The director blinked.

"...Excuse me?"

"You assumed twenty-two percent market growth."

"Yes."

"It won't exceed fifteen."

The director quickly checked his own calculations.

After several moments, his face turned pale.

President Gu was right.

Again.

"I'll revise it immediately."

"You should have revised it before bringing it to me."

"Y-Yes, President Gu."

The director hurried out of the office, embarrassed.

Chen Wei sighed inwardly.

Scenes like this happened almost every day.

Gu Yichen demanded perfection because he expected it from himself first.

That was why Gu Group had become stronger under his leadership.

But it also made him almost impossible to approach.

People respected him.

Few actually knew him.

Silence returned to the office.

For several minutes, only the sound of turning pages could be heard.

Finally, Chen Wei spoke carefully.

"Chairman Gu called earlier."

Gu Yichen didn't look up.

"My grandfather rarely calls before nine."

"He asked you to visit the old residence tonight."

The pen in Gu Yichen's hand paused briefly.

"Did he say why?"

"No."

A faint crease appeared between Gu Yichen's brows.

Whenever his grandfather requested a family meeting without explanation...

Something significant usually followed.

"Very well."

"I'll go."

---

Meanwhile, across the city...

Lin Xinyue stepped out of a taxi in front of the Shanghai People's Court.

The courthouse stood proudly beneath a clear blue sky, its stone facade reflecting years of authority and tradition.

She took a deep breath.

Today would decide the future of her client, and perhaps her own reputation.

In her hand was a leather briefcase containing months of preparation.

Every witness statement.

Every financial analysis.

Every legal argument.

She had reviewed them so many times that she could almost recite each page from memory.

"Attorney Lin!"

She turned.

Her client, Zhao Ming, hurried toward her with obvious anxiety.

He looked exhausted.

Dark circles framed his eyes.

He hadn't slept.

"I'm glad you're here," he said.

"You look worried."

"Can you blame me?"

She offered him a reassuring smile.

"I told you before."

"I'll fight for the truth."

His shoulders relaxed slightly.

"I trust you."

Those three words settled heavily in her heart.

Trust.

It was the foundation of everything she believed about being a lawyer.

She would not betray it.

Not today.

"Let's go inside."

Together they climbed the courthouse steps.

Neither of them noticed a man standing across the street, watching them from inside a parked black sedan.

He lowered his sunglasses.

A faint smile curved across his lips before he picked up his phone.

"They're here."

A calm voice answered from the other end.

"Proceed as planned."

The call ended.

The sedan pulled quietly into traffic and disappeared.

Inside the courthouse, Lin Xinyue walked confidently through security.

Lawyers greeted her with respectful nods.

Some smiled.

Others whispered about the high-profile case.

She ignored the attention.

Her focus remained fixed on the courtroom ahead.

As she reached the waiting area, Han Zixuan approached with two cups of coffee.

"I thought you might need this."

She accepted one.

"Thank you."

"You've worked hard."

"I just hope it's enough."

"It will be."

His smile was warm.

Supportive.

Exactly the smile she remembered from years ago.

For a brief second, she wondered if their relationship might have been different under other circumstances.

The thought disappeared as quickly as it came.

They had both moved on.

Or so she believed.

A court officer stepped into the hallway.

"Case number 417."

"The court is ready."

Lin Xinyue adjusted the collar of her suit.

She looked toward the courtroom doors.

Months of preparation had led to this moment.

She didn't know that before the day ended, the first crack in her carefully built world would appear.

She simply tightened her grip on her briefcase and walked forward.

The heavy wooden door of courtroom three slowly opened.