The charity gala for the City Children's Hospital unfolded beneath a vaulted glass dome that turned the night sky into a living canvas of stars and crystal chandeliers. Crystal flutes sparkled on silver trays; string music wove through conversations like silk thread. Lin Xia moved through the crowd on Gu Jingchen's arm, the deep crimson gown he had chosen for her catching every flicker of light. It draped low across her back, the fabric whispering against her skin with each step, while a single slit climbed high enough to reveal the smooth line of her leg when she walked.
Gu Jingchen kept her close, his palm a steady brand at the base of her spine. The tailored black tuxedo made him look carved from shadow and steel—every inch the untouchable emperor of the business world. Yet tonight his usual ice had thawed into something sharper, more volatile. Li Minghao's earlier boardroom intrusion still lingered between them like smoke.
They had barely reached the central fountain when the rival appeared, champagne in hand, smile polished to a predatory gleam.
"Jingchen. Miss Lin." Li Minghao's gaze swept over her openly this time, lingering on the curve of her shoulder, the hollow of her throat. "You've outdone yourself. That color on you is criminal. Tell me, how does it feel to be the most captivating presence in a room full of billionaires?"
Lin Xia offered a measured smile, voice carrying that velvet husk the system had gifted her. "It feels like standing next to the only man whose attention I actually want."
Gu Jingchen's fingers flexed against her bare back, a silent claim. But Li Minghao only laughed, stepping closer than etiquette allowed.
"Careful, Jingchen. Men like us don't keep treasures by hiding them. Perhaps Miss Lin would enjoy a turn on the dance floor with someone who knows how to appreciate rarity without locking it away."
The words were light. The challenge beneath them was not.
Gu Jingchen's expression didn't change, yet the air around him thickened. He drew Lin Xia flush against his side, the motion deliberate and public, his hand sliding lower until his palm rested possessively just above the swell of her ass.
"She doesn't dance with anyone else," he said, tone conversational yet edged with frost. "And if you address her directly again without my permission, Horizon Dynamics won't survive the week."
Li Minghao's smile thinned. Cameras flashed discreetly from the periphery—society pages already scenting scandal. He inclined his head, retreating with a murmured "Until next time," but the damage was done. Gu Jingchen's jealousy had ignited into something visible, something possessive that rippled through the room like a warning.
The rest of the evening passed in a haze of polite conversation and veiled stares. Gu Jingchen never left her side. His hand stayed on her—lower back, waist, occasionally brushing the exposed skin of her thigh through the slit—each touch a silent declaration. When a photographer asked for a picture, he pulled her in front of him, arms caging her from behind, lips brushing her temple in full view of the lenses.
By the time they slipped into the waiting Maybach, the tension between them had thickened into something electric and unspoken.
The moment the tinted partition rose, Gu Jingchen dragged her across the wide leather seat and onto his lap. The crimson gown pooled around her hips as he spread her thighs wide over his.
"No more games tonight," he said, voice low and rough like distant thunder. "I need to taste what's mine."
He didn't kiss her mouth first. He pushed the gown higher, baring her completely—no underwear, exactly as he had demanded before they left the penthouse. His palms slid up the insides of her thighs, thumbs parting her folds with reverent pressure. She was already slick, glistening under the passing streetlights that strobed through the windows.
"Beautiful," he breathed, almost reverent. "Look at you. Swollen and shining just from my hand on your back all night."
He leaned in and dragged his tongue along her in one long, slow stroke—broad and flat, savoring the taste of her arousal like it was rare honey. Lin Xia's head fell back against the seat, a soft gasp escaping as he repeated the motion, slower this time, exploring every delicate ridge and valley. His tongue circled her clit with maddening precision, then dipped lower to push inside her, fucking her in shallow, curling thrusts that made her hips rock helplessly against his face.
He hummed in approval, the vibration shooting straight through her core. One hand gripped her ass, holding her open for him; the other slid two fingers deep, scissoring gently while his mouth sealed over her clit and sucked with pulsing rhythm.
Lin Xia's fingers tangled in his hair, tugging hard. The wet, obscene sounds of his mouth on her filled the quiet luxury of the limo—slick licks, soft suction, the occasional low groan from deep in his chest. He edged her relentlessly: bringing her right to the trembling brink, then easing back to lave her folds with long, soothing strokes until the coil inside her loosened, only to wind it tighter again.
Streetlights flashed across his dark hair as he worked her. His shoulders flexed beneath the tuxedo jacket he hadn't bothered to remove. Every time her thighs began to shake, he slowed, eyes flicking up to watch her face—pupils blown wide, lips parted on silent pleas.
When she finally broke, it was with a choked cry of his name. Pleasure rolled through her in deep, shuddering waves; she clenched around his fingers, flooding his tongue. He drank every drop, licking her through the aftershocks with gentle, thorough strokes until she was limp and trembling.
Only then did he sit back, lips shiny, eyes feral with satisfaction. He pulled her down for a slow, deep kiss, letting her taste herself on his tongue while his fingers continued lazy circles against her oversensitive clit.
The limo glided through the city, but neither of them noticed the lights anymore.
Gu Jingchen's jealousy hadn't cooled. It had sharpened into something darker, more addictive.
And Lin Xia felt the first true threads of his obsession wrapping around her like velvet chains—tightening, promising, unbreakable.