Bryce Shaw tried to find something to talk about. "Are you close with Lauren Shaw?"

"Mm, she's great. We get along really well." She had few friends. Ever since she became famous, there were even fewer people she could truly open up to.

A warm hand landed on hers. Li Qiuchi curved her lips in a smile, threading her fingers tightly with his.

"Did you drink too much tonight?" He glanced sideways at her, his eyes glimmering.

She shook her head. Li Qiuchi could hold her liquor just fine. She hadn't drunk much tonight—just enough to be a little tipsy.

"Tomorrow I have to head to set for filming. I won't be back for almost a week."

Even though they were together, they hadn't gone public. Li Qiuchi was at a crucial stage in her career, and Bryce Shaw had been busy lately, too. Their time together was scarce.

Bryce Shaw's expression darkened. "Any kissing scenes?"

Li Qiuchi laughed softly. "President Shen, do you know what you sound like right now?"

"What do I sound like?"

"Like a little kid," Li Qiuchi teased.

Bryce Shaw squeezed her hand a little tighter. "I recently got my hands on two bottles of really good wine. Want to come over to my place and try them with me?"

"I bet you're not really after the wine, are you, President Shen?"

Li Qiuchi called him out directly. They were both adults—no need to play dumb when everyone understood what was really going on.

Bryce Shaw raised his brows. "So you don't want to come?"

"You live right next door to me, President Shen. Do you really think it makes a difference if I come over or not? Even if I don't, you'll just show up at my place."

What a rotten man—still trying to act all proper in front of her.

Bryce Shaw didn't say anything. He just smiled.

Li Qiuchi stared at him. When she saw him smile, she couldn't help but smile too.

It had already been nearly half a year since they'd gotten together. The memory of their first meeting still felt like yesterday.

A year ago, she wasn't as popular as she was now. She remembered the wrap party for one of her shoots—some of the investors were there, including Bryce Shaw. But he only showed up near the end.

That was when she found out he was actually the boss of the company.

He seemed busy, rarely showing up at the office.

Later, she starred in a film that won an award. With the success of that movie, she became a sought-after actress.

The company started promoting her heavily, and her interactions with Bryce Shaw increased.

He seemed to treat her differently back then, though she couldn't quite put her finger on why.

Until one day, when a crazed fan followed her and nearly caused an accident—he saved her.

After that, she moved. Her new place was right next to his, and just like that, she didn't have to worry about her safety anymore.

That was also when things between them started to develop. Before she knew it, she had fallen for him.

When they reached her apartment complex, Bryce Shaw thoughtfully wrapped a scarf around her neck. Once out of the car, he naturally reached for her hand.

—

When Claire Xu got home, it was already eleven at night.

The house was pitch black. As she turned on the light, she nearly jumped out of her skin at the sight of someone sitting on the sofa.

"Why is the light off? Trying to scare me to death?" Claire Xu patted her chest, trying to calm down.

George Xu's face was as dark as coal as he roared, "So you still remember to come home!"

No matter who you were, getting yelled at like that in the dead of night would give you a fright.

Claire Xu straightened her back and looked at him calmly. "This is my home. Why wouldn't I come back? Besides, when I wanted to move out, you wouldn't let me, remember?"

No matter where she moved, he always found her, using every possible method just to make sure she wouldn't be left out on her own.

He was afraid she'd tarnish the Xu family's reputation, because she was born solely for a marriage alliance.

"You can move out, but only if you agree to marry the eldest son of the Lawrence family."

"Come on, isn't it the twenty-first century? Are you really still playing the arranged marriage card?" she mocked, her tone dripping with sarcasm. Seeing George Xu's face growing even darker, she wasn't the least bit afraid.

As if he didn't know exactly what kind of person that Liang heir was. If it were Hannah Xu in her place, he'd never be so eager.

Ignoring the chairman's furious, ashen face, she strode up the stairs.

"Stop right there!" George Xu got up and strode over. The moment he got close enough to catch the scent of alcohol on her, his brow furrowed deeply.

"You have to marry him whether you want to or not. This isn't up for discussion. You should be grateful they even considered you. Just look at the state you're in!"

Claire Xu nonchalantly dug at her ear, giving him a mocking smile. "Well, thank him for considering me, but I'm really not interested. If you're so keen, why don't you marry him yourself?"

There wasn't the slightest bit of fear in her eyes—only scorn and icy defiance. Furious, George Xu raised his hand for a slap.

Claire Xu didn't flinch, meeting his gaze directly, her eyes brimming with ridicule and coldness.

His hand hovered above her face but didn't come down. Claire Xu grabbed his wrist, forcefully shaking it off.

"What? You think I'm still the same girl you could beat up at will? Starting tomorrow, I'm moving out for good. I'm not asking—I'm telling you."

With that, Claire Xu turned and went upstairs, utterly ignoring George Xu's livid shouts.

Tonight, she was in a great mood. She'd finally made a decision: she was done letting George Xu control her.

But as soon as she reached the landing and spotted someone standing outside her bedroom, her good mood vanished.

"You really upset Dad tonight."

Hannah Xu stood at her door, arms folded across her chest, looking down at Claire Xu with a haughty gaze.

"Since you know he's upset, why aren't you comforting him instead of waiting outside my room?"

Honestly, she had to hand it to May Lee and her daughter. They played their roles perfectly—May Lee was the model stepmother among wealthy socialites, and Hannah Xu looked elegant and obedient in public but was selfish and fake behind closed doors.

Knowing she'd be moving out tomorrow, Claire Xu just wanted to pack up her things and never set foot in this house again.

Without waiting for Hannah Xu to speak, she turned and went into her room, the door slamming with flair.

The next morning—

Lauren Shaw arrived at the hospital early. Grandma kept insisting she wanted to go home, complaining she couldn't rest properly in the hospital. Lauren Shaw's mother couldn't talk her out of it, so she handled the discharge paperwork.

As she waited in line, someone called out from behind: "Shengsheng?" Turning, Lauren Shaw realized it was Dean Sullivan.

It had been a while, and he was sporting a lot more gray hair. He looked far older than before.

"I'm here to apologize for what happened before—on Yu Che's behalf." Dean Sullivan was always fair when it came to grudges. The mess the Sung family was in now—he didn't blame anyone else for it.

Lauren Shaw was surprised. She'd expected him to confront her like Zoe Carter had, not to offer apologies.

"Uncle Su, the past is the past. You didn't do anything wrong—you don't have to apologize to me." She'd interacted with him a few times before and had always found him decent, never deliberately making things difficult for her. The only problem was the wife he'd married, who was a piece of work.