• After the call ended,
Xie Lu sat frozen in place—devastated. He never imagined his brother would stoop this low, not to this level. He leaned back against the corner of the drawing-room, where across from him, a photo frame rested —one of himself and Xiao Si, smiling together. As he looked at it, a wave of guilt hit him like a punch to the chest.
"She's in danger because of me.."
He couldn't even call for help—he never fully trusted anyone around him. People only ever wanted to take, to break, to use him. No one ever gave, no one ever loved—no one except her. Xiao Si gave him warmth, love, friendship, compassion…And now, she was suffering.
Her cries from the video echoed in his mind like a broken record. "Xie… please save me!"He stayed awake all night in the same place, trapped in his spinning thoughts—what was happening to her now? What would Jin Plotting do? He'd worked so hard for his career, for his rank… and now it was all going to be ripped away. But he had no choice. With the night erased and the morning light pouring in, Xie Lu got up to get ready. His face was pale, eyes red with dark circles beneath them. He looked like a ghost—tormented, broken.
Emotionally drained, physically exhausted. But his resolve hadn't changed.
He would do anything to save her.
---
Later, when Xie Lu arrived at Lu Corporation. As he approached one of the main gates. A security guard on duty got up and greeted him, "Good morning, Mr. Xie! Hopefully you have a wonder—" His words were cut short the moment he saw Xie Lu's face.
His eyes flew open in shock—Xie's eyes were dark circles, his cheeks sunken, and an unsettling, chilly aura was around him. Not exhaustion only. Something strangely other about him today. The guard hesitated, then anxiously asked, "Mr. Xie… you look completely drained… did something happen?"
Xie Lu stared at the man for a second. So much has happened… she's been kidnapped, her life is hanging by a thread, and I'm about to lose everything… But instead of speaking any of it out loud, he simply forced a polite smile. "Morning. Not to worry, I'm fine."
With that, he gave a slight nod and walked forward.
His expression remained stern. The words of Xiao Si crying out in that video still lingered in his mind—Xie, please save me… The guilt washed over him again like a tsunami. As the elevator dinged, startling him out of his swirling thoughts. He was already on the right floor.
As he stepped out and walked through the hallway, he stopped in front of a door—one that he had never stopped at before. The nameplate read "Jin Lu – Executive Director." As the CEO, Xie Lu never set foot in other executives' offices, not even his brother's. But today, though, it was different.
He looked at his watch at exactly 9:00 a.m. He clenched around the doorknob. Creaked as it turned, and when the door opened—
There he was.
Jin Lu sat calmly behind his desk, a smile curling on his lips as if he had been waiting for this moment.
"I was waiting for you, Xie. Come, have a seat," Jin Lu said smoothly, a twisted smile playing on his lips. Xie Lu stared at him with a lifeless expression, his face pale, eyes sunken with exhaustion. He silently sat down across from him.
"Looks like you didn't get any decent sleep last night, hmm?" Jin clicked his tongue. "You're not looking like your usual sharp self. But then again—how could you, when your wife's life is dangling on a string?" His tone dripped with mockery.
"Can you just shut that mouth of yours, Jin?" Xie Lu snapped, anger flickering in his tired eyes. "Just tell me what the hell you want. I don't have time for your nonsense." "Always so impatient, my dear brother." Jin Lu leaned back and adjusted his posture with calculated calm. "Fine. Let's get to the point." "You already know what I want—your position, as I've told the main plot, and to get it, here's the plan."Xie stayed quiet, his hands clenched under the table.
"You're going to act like you have Dissociative Identity Disorder—DID. A real condition is where a person has two or more personalities. You'll fake blackouts and violent behaviour. We'll blame everything on your 'alternate self.'" Jin's smile widened. "And when the time's right, we'll show it all to Father. He'll have no choice but to remove you for being unstable."
Xie's gaze darkened. "And how exactly are you planning to pull that off?"
"Oh, I've already arranged it," Jin said casually. "I've hired some people—tonight, when every worker are gone, you'll 'attack' them on camera tonight. CCTV will capture it all. Tomorrow, I will present in front of father the footage. I'll tell him to remove you from your place, you'll claim you don't remember anything and boom—your other personality 'wakes up' in front of him and you will lash out at me. "Perfect setup." Later, I know he will take some action. he leaned forward slightly, his smile widening with amusement.
"Have any objections?" he asked, then added with a chuckle,
Xie Lu remained silent for a long second, then spoke with quiet bitterness. "Not that you'd give me any chance to object anyway." Jin chuckled, crossing his arms. "Ah, true."
A heavy silence followed. The weight of it all sank into Xie's chest—the looming end of everything he had worked for.
"So today is my last day as CEO?" he asked quietly.
"Exactly. So enjoy it while it lasts," Jin said, clearly relishing every word.
Xie\ exhaled slowly, the pain of loss weighing heavily in his gut. Still, he nodded.
"I'll do as you say," he muttered. "But if you lay a single hand on my wife—"
"Relax," Jin interrupted. "The moment you step into that asylum, she'll be released. Safe and sound." But in that moment, Xie Lu knew—he had just walked into the heart of a storm. "Want a cup of coffee? I can treat you," Jin offered.
"No need," Xie Lu replied calmly. "I'll get one myself when I'm back at my office."With that, Xie rose from his seat and headed toward the door. Just as his hand touched the handle, Jin's voice called out again."Xie Lu, enjoy your time today. We'll meet after everyone has left the office. Now you can go."
Xie Lu paused for a second, said nothing, and continued walking. As he made his way back to his office—his room—it struck him: it was his room. Past tense. Soon, it would no longer be his.
He entered and quietly looked around. His belongings, the familiar layout, the memories—everything.
Sinking into his chair, he ran a hand over his face, covering his eyes. He didn't want to lose this place, but he had no choice. His mistakes had brought him here. He never thought his own brother would exploit his weakness—Qiao Si.
But he had a plan. Once his wife was safe, he'd return—and expose every one of his brother's schemes.
That made today his last day. And he was going to make it count.
He worked harder than ever, but today with an unfamiliar gentleness. When others delayed work, he didn't snap. Instead, he told them, "Take your time." A few employees were puzzled. Why was Mr. Xie suddenly so kind? But they didn't dwell on it too much.
The hours passed—from morning to evening, and then into the quiet night.
Then, finally, the moment arrived.
The last employee was heading out. He turned and asked, "Mr. Xie, aren't you going to leave?"
"Yeah… soon. You go ahead."Xie gave him a faint smile.
"Good night, Mr. Xie," the employee said, waving before disappearing down the corridor.
Through the glass, Xie watched him go. Now, it begins. The real work.
He turned away from the window and walked slowly down the hallway. The silence was thick, broken only by the distant echo of footsteps—two people talking quietly ahead. His own steps joined the rhythm, each one heavier than the last.
He stopped, took a deep breath.
This was it.
He stepped forward toward the room where the final act would begin.