August nights in Beijing were always restless, and "Yise", the city's top-tier bar, became even more magnetic in this heat.

It wasn’t just the wild parties thrown by rich heirs—it was a parade of beautiful women trying to flip their luck, hoping to go from nobodies to someone’s Cinderella story.

Dressed in revealing outfits and caked-on makeup, they all hovered near the entrance, eyes locked on the doorway. With a bit of luck and sharp judgment, one of them might just score an invite into “Yise”, and maybe, if fate allowed, land herself a wealthy boyfriend.

But tonight, someone clearly didn’t belong.

She wore a plain T-shirt and denim shorts, no makeup, long straight hair just hanging there.

Naturally pretty, and so out of sync with the others in line that heads turned without hesitation.

“Wait, is this look trendy now?”

“No way. Guys are here to mess around, not sign up for clingy drama.”

“Exactly. After living on steak and wine, who’d go back to plain porridge? That's asking for trouble.”

The chatter floated right into Caroline Anderson’s ears, but she didn’t react in the slightest. Calm as ever, her gaze stayed fixed ahead.

Luxury cars pulled up one after another outside “Yise,” and the girls all swayed and strutted forward, eager to catch the eye of someone who might elevate their status. Most would go home empty-handed—but that didn’t stop them from trying.

Caroline just stood there, quietly observing.

Then a black sedan slowly rolled to a stop.

Compared to the flashy sports cars that came before, this one was understated—so subtle that it nearly went unnoticed. But the second it came to a halt, the crowd fell into dead silence.

The girls froze in place, tension written all over their faces. Even the way they looked around became cautious.

The moment the car door swung open, Caroline moved.

Gasps spread through the crowd. Even the greeter got stuck in the middle of his polite bow.

“No way. Is she seriously aiming for Mr. Blackwood?!”

“She’s toast.”

Mr. Blackwood—Liam Blackwood.

That name carried weight. Power. Money. And the kind of devastating looks that made every other man invisible when he entered a room.

Liam didn’t show up at “Yise” often, but everyone here knew the rule: his space was off-limits. Every girl who ever tried to sweet-talk her way in ended up with regret.

So now everyone held their breath, scared they’d somehow catch the blowback of upsetting this man.

Liam’s expression turned dark the instant he saw Caroline. His eyes were sharp enough to cut, giving off a chill that made it hard to breathe.

But it didn’t faze her.

She stepped forward, casually slipped a note into the breast pocket of his suit, then said with total composure, “Five million. I can stop something terrible from happening to your sister. Think it over and give me a call.”

She walked off before anyone could process what just happened.

Liam looked even more pissed than before.

“Back to the office,” he ordered coldly.

He had no more mood to hang out with his friends. The second he got into the car, he took off his suit jacket.

He tossed it to the driver. “Keep the cufflinks. Get rid of the jacket.”

The driver nodded and was about to remove the cuffs when Liam’s voice came again. “Wait. Leave it.”

For some reason, that woman’s words kept echoing in his head. She had him thinking.

The Blackwoods had only one daughter in this generation—Sophia. She was pampered beyond reason, especially by their grandfather, who treated her like a porcelain doll.

No doubt about it—she was his greatest weak spot.After a brief moment of thought, he made a call.

"Jack, give me a rundown of Sophia’s recent activities."

When it came to his sister’s safety, he couldn’t just ignore those words. But if that woman dared to lie to him... well, that’d be her last mistake.

Jack Smith, being Liam Blackwood’s right-hand man, worked fast. Within ten minutes, he had already sent over Sophia Blackwood’s latest updates.

Liam’s eyes darkened as he scrolled through the details. So, the girl had snuck back into the country? Without this check, he wouldn’t even have known!

"Get me my suit."

"Yes, sir," the driver replied, quickly handing over the jacket.

Liam pulled out the note from his pocket. On it: a phone number and a bank account.

The handwriting was neat and graceful. At first glance, it seemed like the kind of soft, well-mannered woman who might’ve written it.

But that idea didn’t last long. A quiet, proper girl wouldn’t have dared to pull this kind of stunt. And those eyes—so resolute, so certain—like she already knew victory was hers.

With long fingers, Liam keyed in the number on the note.

Once it connected, a calm, confident voice came through. "Looks like Mr. Blackwood made up his mind."

Leaning back in his seat, phone in one hand and that note in the other, Liam’s voice turned cold. "Who are you really? What’s your game here?"

On the other end, Caroline Anderson chuckled softly. "Come on, Mr. Blackwood. Do I really need to spell it out? It’s about the money, obviously."

She laid it out all clean and simple.

The bluntness irritated Liam. "If you’re playing me, you’re gonna wish you hadn’t."

"Wish I hadn’t?" Caroline raised an eyebrow. "I don’t think you’ll get that chance. Look, you don’t have much time. If you wait until tomorrow, I’m just afraid you’ll regret it forever."

That hit a nerve. Suddenly, Liam felt the pressure settle in.

Five million wasn’t even a drop in the ocean for him. He didn’t hesitate—"Jack, send the payment."

As for her? After tomorrow, she’d either vanish or pay the price. Nobody played games with Liam Blackwood.

Just minutes later, Caroline got the confirmation text that the money had landed.

With the deal done, she called him back. "You better stop your sister from flying out to Norway tomorrow. And if you can’t stop the trip, at least make sure she avoids the East Third Overpass between ten and eleven in the morning. Something’s going down there."

Her tone hadn’t changed—still flat and calm—but on Liam's end, his expression had turned grim, his eyes sharp with menace. "Who the hell are you?"

The Blackwood family guarded Sophia's privacy well. The public only knew there was a Miss Blackwood, nothing more. Yet this woman somehow knew she studied in Norway—and even knew which route she took to and from the airport?

Her words had weight, and Liam could feel the chill run down his spine. "Mr. Blackwood, who I am doesn’t matter. What matters is if your sister avoids what’s coming tomorrow, your family stays as it is. If not—well, I doubt your father can take that kind of blow."

First the sister, now the old man.

Liam’s pupils shrank slightly.

He racked his brain, trying to recall if he’d seen her before at "Ise." But no matter how hard he searched his memory, he couldn’t connect her to anyone or anything from his past.

Still, this woman clearly knew far too much about the Blackwood family.

He couldn’t afford to be careless.

With her objective reached, Caroline didn’t bother dragging things out. "Appreciate the cash, Mr. Blackwood. Let’s not keep in touch."