Zhang Meixia: "..."
Ma Fang: "..."
Ma Fang's eyes widened as she was sent flying backward.
She never expected things to turn out this way.
Wasn’t the young miss supposed to be the kindest person?
She often fed the stray cats and dogs outside the villa!
No one anticipated that Lin Mo would not only talk Ma Fang down but also kick her.
"Bang!"
Ma Fang crashed heavily against the edge of the deck, the impact sending waves of pain through her body as if her bones were about to shatter.
Before she could react,
two dark figures loomed over her.
One pinned her arms, rendering her immobile, while the other swiftly snipped the wires of the bomb strapped to her chest with a pair of scissors.
It took only three seconds.
Bodyguard Brother: "Done, boss."
Bodyguard Leader grinned, flashing sharp teeth. "Crisis averted!"
Lin Mo flashed a victory sign at the handsome man sprinting toward her. "All good!"
Xie Guanyan pulled her into a tight embrace, his heart pounding violently, sweat dripping from his forehead in thick beads.
Earlier, the two had quickly devised a plan—
one would act as the decoy while the other stayed hidden.
The decoy would distract Ma Fang, while the hidden one waited for the right moment to strike.
Xie Guanyan didn’t want Lin Mo to take the risk, but she insisted.
Lin Mo felt responsible since she was the one who had proposed this gathering.
Ma Fang’s words and pitiful appearance were indeed deceptive.
But hugging her? Absolutely not.
Lin Mo’s goal was to kick her away and have her restrained so the bomb could be disarmed.
The detonator was in Ma Fang’s hand—embracing her would mean handing over her life.
That wasn’t something Lin Mo would ever do.
Her life came first!
"AAAAAH! Why?! Why are you doing this to me?!" Ma Fang suddenly erupted into hysterics.
She lunged at Lin Mo like a wild beast, screaming, "I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you!"
But the bodyguard duo easily subdued her.
She thrashed on the ground with all her might, her hands scraping bloody streaks against the deck.
Lin Mo sensed there was more to this.
She turned to the director, who was hyperventilating into his own palm. "Director, clear the area. I need to talk to her."
The director didn’t hesitate. "Everyone, inside! Now!"
The crowd was still terrified.
Gu Jingchuan trembled uncontrollably. "But what if there are bombs inside the yacht too?!"
A black-clad guard replied, "None. We’ve swept the entire place."
Men in black were stationed everywhere—visible and hidden—armed with professional scanning equipment.
Only then did Gu Jingchuan relax, smoothing his hair. "Good, good."
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed his mother’s ashen face.
He puffed out his chest. "Mom, don’t worry. I’ll protect you!"
Zhang Meixia: "..."
Her fingers unconsciously picked at her manicure.
How could such a flawless plan still fail?!
But Ma Fang wouldn’t betray her—her son still needed Zhang Meixia’s money.
If not for her financial support years ago, Ma Fang’s sick child would have died long ago!
All morning, Zhang Meixia had been brainstorming alternatives.
She recalled running into Ma Fang at the hospital recently.
Ma Fang had even knelt, begging for more money.
She said she’d been working five jobs a day, her body breaking down, and her son’s condition critical.
Zhang Meixia had ignored her.
After all these years, Ma Fang had no leverage over her.
She could only hope Ma Fang knew better than to talk.
The deck was eerily quiet now.
Only Xie Guanyan, Lin Mo, and a squad of black-suited bodyguards remained.
Everyone else was barred from approaching.
Lin Mo looked down at the gaunt woman on the ground, her voice icy. "Talk. Who sent you?"
The hatred in Ma Fang’s eyes was unmistakable.
Realizing all hope was lost, Ma Fang slumped. "No one! I… I just lost all will to live."
Lin Mo smirked. "Then tomorrow, I’ll pay your son a visit. You’ve figured it out by now—I’m not a good person."
Ma Fang’s heart seized. "No! My son is innocent!"
Lin Mo tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "And what about me? Eleven years ago, when you tampered with my car, what had I ever done to you?"
Ma Fang’s pupils dilated in shock. "H-how did you know?!"
Her weak nerves made her an easy target.
A little probing was all it took.
Lin Mo mentally reviewed the household staff—Ma Fang had worked the shortest time and was the most desperate for money.
Leaning casually against the yacht’s railing, Lin Mo let the deck lights cast half her face in shadow, the wind whipping her skirt.
She looked ethereal yet sinister, like a vengeful spirit.
"Tell me who it is. If you cooperate, I’ll only hold you accountable. If you don’t… you and your son will disappear. My boyfriend, Xie Guanyan, is a powerful figure in Jingbei. Making people vanish without a trace—or torturing them—is child’s play for him."
The girl in the yellow dress glanced up at the handsome man in the white shirt and let out a villainous cackle. "Hehehehe!"
Xie Guanyan adjusted his glasses with one hand.
How could his little star be so adorable?
But to Ma Fang, the laugh was bone-chilling.
If Lin Mo could kick her flying despite her frail frame, what wouldn’t she do?
Ma Fang collapsed, defeated. "Y-you swear you’ll keep your word?"
Zhang Meixia had nearly picked off all the gems from her manicure.
Gu Jingchuan, assuming she was still shaken, handed her a glass of sparkling water. "Mom, drink something."
Before Zhang Meixia could respond, Bodyguard Leader grabbed her by the collar and hauled her up like a scruffed hen.
"Let me go! Release me!" Zhang Meixia shrieked.
Gu Jingchuan was baffled. "Why are you arresting my mom?!"
"You’re coming too!" Bodyguard Brother yanked him by the shirt.
Gu Song gasped. "What is the meaning of this?!"
Bodyguard Leader reached for him with his free hand. "Almost forgot you, old man."
Thud! Thud! Thud!
All three were dumped onto the deck.
Gu Song clutched his throbbing tailbone. "Do you know who I am?! I’m the CEO of Gu Corporation—Xie Guanyan’s biological father!"
Bodyguard Leader kicked him. "And your face is thicker than pig hide!"
Bodyguard Brother brandished scissors. "Should we cut out his tongue?"
Gu Song immediately covered his mouth, terrified into silence.
Lin Mo crouched in front of Zhang Meixia. "You’ve tried to kill me three times. Why do you hate me so much?"
Gu Song and Gu Jingchuan gaped at Zhang Meixia in disbelief.
Zhang Meixia feigned ignorance. "I have no idea what you’re talking about!"
She hadn’t contacted Ma Fang directly—even if Ma Fang talked, there was no concrete evidence.
Lin Mo locked eyes with her. "First, you had Ma Fang sabotage my car. Then, you set the recording villa on fire. And today, you wanted Ma Fang to embrace me so we’d both die. You thought I had no proof? The villa’s cameras were live—even after the fire, the footage was backed up in the cloud. The man you sent has already confessed to the police."
Zhang Meixia’s heart pounded under Lin Mo’s piercing gaze.
The arsonist had been her own contact.
She’d been so sure it was foolproof!
Her long nails dug into the deck until one snapped.
Her eyes burned with venom as she glared at Xie Guanyan, hatred erupting like lava.
Xie Guanyan’s mind buzzed.
Was his darkest suspicion… true?
