Chapter 1: The Boss's Wife Makes a Surprise Visit

“Fuck. You get a room with a woman and leave me freezing my ass off downstairs. What a bastard.”

Lin Chen crouched on the steps outside the hotel lobby, a cigarette between his lips, muttering curses.

He couldn’t get Su Ya’s alluring face out of his head, and it was eating at him.

He was Zhao Qiang’s personal driver. Tonight, his boss had arranged to discuss a business deal with a client. That client was Su Ya.

She was the sort of woman men couldn’t stop looking at. In her early thirties, she had a mature allure that showed in everything she did.

She dressed to turn heads, and wherever she went, she did.

Zhao Qiang had had his eye on her for a while. Tonight’s invitation to discuss a contract was an obvious excuse to get her into bed.

Whether the deal went through depended on how willing Su Ya was to play along.

She knew it, too.

The two of them had walked into the hotel with their arms around each other to take their discussion further.

Which left Lin Chen working unpaid overtime, frustrated in more ways than one.

His phone suddenly vibrated. Zhao Qiang.

“For fuck’s sake. Even when he’s getting laid, he can’t leave me alone.”

He was still swearing as he answered.

“Yes, Mr. Zhao?”

His voice was perfectly respectful.

“Lin Chen, hurry! Get to Room 909!”

Zhao Qiang sounded frantic. “If you’re not here in three minutes, don’t bother coming to work tomorrow.”

He hung up.

Lin Chen’s face darkened. He cursed his boss eight hundred times in his head, but he was already sprinting for the elevator.

He couldn’t lose this job.

A year ago, his adoptive parents had died suddenly in a car crash, leaving him and his younger sister with only each other.

Six months ago, his sister had been diagnosed with cancer. He had drained his savings and mortgaged the house, but it still wasn’t enough.

If his income stopped, she wouldn’t be able to continue chemotherapy. She would die.

So he had to put up with Zhao Qiang, even when the man treated him like dirt.

Three minutes later, Lin Chen pushed open the door to Room 909, gasping for breath.

The scene inside was nothing like he’d imagined.

There was nothing intimate going on. Zhao Qiang and Su Ya stood in the middle of the room, both looking terrified.

Lin Chen stared. Weren’t they supposed to be in bed by now?

“What is it, boss?” he asked, bending forward deferentially.

“Cover for me.”

Zhao Qiang spoke fast. “My wife put a tracker on my phone. She knows I’m here, and she’s on her way.”

“If she finds out I’m with Su Ya, I’m dead.”

“Pretend you’re the one who asked Su Ya here. Understand?”

“Pull it off, and I’ll make it worth your while. Screw it up, and you can imagine what happens.”

Lin Chen nearly lost his composure.

Zhao Qiang’s wife, Liu Shuang, was notorious in Linjiang for being ruthless. She was worth ten billion yuan, and almost nothing escaped her.

He was supposed to fool her?

He stole a glance at Su Ya.

Her neckline was slightly open, offering a glimpse of pale skin. The satin dress clung to her waist and hips, outlining her figure.

His mouth went dry. He felt a surge of arousal.

“Lin Chen, make up your mind!” Zhao Qiang urged.

Lin Chen gritted his teeth. “All right. I’ll do it.”

“Good.”

Zhao Qiang shoved his phone into Lin Chen’s hand. “When she gets here, tell her I left my phone in the car. Remember, keep her happy. I’m getting out of here.”

At the door, he glanced back at Su Ya. “Sorry about this, sweetheart. Come to the office tomorrow to sign the contract.”

The door closed, leaving Lin Chen alone with her.

Only then did he dare look at her properly.

Up close, Su Ya made his heart race even more.

She had clearly taken care with her appearance tonight. Her makeup was immaculate, the slight upward flick at the corners of her eyes just right.

The fitted satin fell from her collarbones and drew in at the waist. Every curve seemed designed to catch the eye.

She held her glass loosely, but her back was straight, as if she had been born to stand in a spotlight.

Lin Chen swallowed, suddenly hot all over.

“Finished staring?”

Su Ya caught his wrist and pulled him toward the bed.

“Then lie down.”

She tugged him onto the mattress, lay down beside him, and drew the covers over them both.

Turning her head, she said, “Listen carefully. Stick to the act, and keep your hands to yourself.”

After a pause, she added, “Don’t forget your place.”

That line again.

Lin Chen swallowed. Anger and desire burned in his chest.

Fine. She wanted an act?

He abruptly rolled over her, bracing one hand beside her ear and thrusting a knee under the covers. His movements were rough.

Su Ya’s eyes widened. “What are you—”

“Acting.”

He gave her a crooked smile and moved his hand along her waist beneath the covers, making the pretence an excuse to touch her.

Su Ya went rigid.

She felt his hand tighten through her thin top. Humiliation rose in her.

She bit her lower lip and turned her face away.

She caught his wrist and tried to push him off, but he seized her fingers instead, lacing them with his and pinning her hand beside the pillow.

“Let go.”

Lin Chen leaned down until his face was close to her ear.

“We’re acting. Make it look natural.”

Su Ya’s eyes reddened. She was about to struggle when—

Bang.

The door flew open, and light from the corridor cut into the room.

They both froze.

Bang!

Someone shoved the room door open from outside.

Liu Shuang strode in on high heels, two bodyguards in black behind her.

Her sharply tailored suit and commanding presence seemed to make the whole room shrink. Her gaze swept across it and settled on Lin Chen.

“Why are you here?”

“What are you two doing?”

Suspicion covered her face.

“Where’s Zhao Qiang? Tell him to get his ass out here.”

Lin Chen’s scalp prickled. Propping himself halfway up on one arm, he said, “Mrs. Zhao, Mr. Zhao isn’t here.”

“He isn’t?”

Liu Shuang narrowed her eyes. “Then what is his driver doing in a hotel room?”

“I… Su Ya and I are dating. I asked Mr. Zhao for the evening off so I could spend it with her.”

Liu Shuang looked at Su Ya, one corner of her mouth twitching. “You and her?”

“A woman like Su Ya only cares about money. Why would she want a driver making a few thousand yuan a month?”

“Do you think I’m stupid?”

Lin Chen’s heart lurched, but they were already in bed together. There was no backing out now.

He could only grit his teeth. “Mrs. Zhao, we really are dating.”

Su Ya rolled onto her side and slipped her arm through his, making the gesture look intimate.

“Ms. Liu, I know you don’t think much of me, but Lin Chen and I really are together.”

“He’s a good man. I care about him.”

“We’re a couple.”

Liu Shuang studied their linked arms. A cold look flashed in her eyes, followed by an amused smile.

“All right. If you’re a couple, prove it.”

Her voice was quiet, but there was no mistaking the threat.

“And if you can’t, don’t blame me for getting nasty. Do you think I could make it impossible for someone to earn a living in Linjiang?”

“How… how do you want us to prove it?” Su Ya asked uneasily.

Liu Shuang glared at her. “What do you think? Or were you planning to put on a strongman act and have a stone slab smashed on your chest?”

Su Ya went deathly pale. Her palms were slick with sweat.

She knew exactly what Liu Shuang could do. If she couldn’t make the lie hold up today, she would lose far more than a contract. There would be no place for her in this city.

She took a deep breath, pushed Lin Chen flat onto the bed, and swung a leg over him, straddling him.