Morning sunlight filtered through the glass walls of Zhen Group, making the entire office glow with a cold, silver light. Employees were already busy typing, answering calls, and rushing between departments.
Mei Lin sat at her desk, organizing documents for the morning meeting. Her movements were calm and precise, but her mind felt strangely distracted.
She had barely slept last night.
For some reason, she kept remembering Liang Zhen's intense gaze from yesterday. There had been something unusual in his eyes. Something she couldn't quite explain.
She shook her head and focused back on her work.
At the same time, on the top floor of the building, Liang Zhen stood inside his office while Chen Kai sat comfortably on the sofa, scrolling through a tablet.
"I found something," Chen Kai said after a moment.
Liang Zhen looked up from the papers on his desk.
"Speak."
Chen Kai placed the tablet down.
"Her name is Mei Lin. Twenty-seven years old. Graduated from Shanghai University. No criminal record. Nothing suspicious."
Liang Zhen frowned slightly.
"That's it?"
Chen Kai shrugged.
"Pretty much. But there is one thing."
Liang Zhen waited.
"She has a six-year-old son."
For a moment, the room fell silent.
Liang Zhen's expression didn't change, but something inside him stirred.
"A son?" he asked quietly.
Chen Kai nodded.
"Name's Liang Rui."
Liang Zhen's eyebrows pulled together slightly.
"Liang?"
Chen Kai smirked.
"Yeah. Funny coincidence, right?"
Liang Zhen didn't respond. He simply leaned back in his chair, deep in thought.
There was no logical reason for him to feel disturbed by this information.
Yet something about it felt… wrong.
Or maybe familiar.
Chen Kai watched him carefully.
"You're thinking too much," he said casually. "Lots of people have the same surname."
Before Liang Zhen could reply, his phone suddenly rang.
He glanced at the screen.
The number made his expression turn cold immediately.
He answered.
"Yes."
A deep voice spoke from the other side.
"Long time no see, Liang Zhen."
Liang Zhen's eyes darkened instantly.
"Han Wei."
Chen Kai looked up sharply when he heard the name.
The rival Alpha.
"What do you want?" Liang Zhen asked coldly.
Han Wei chuckled softly.
"Relax. I'm just visiting Shanghai."
"That's unfortunate."
"I heard your company is doing very well," Han Wei continued calmly. "A powerful CEO and a powerful Alpha. Quite impressive."
Liang Zhen's voice became icy.
"If you have something to say, say it."
Han Wei paused for a moment before speaking again.
"I wonder… if your pack is still as strong as it used to be."
The threat was clear.
Liang Zhen stood up slowly.
"You should leave Shanghai."
Han Wei laughed.
"Why? Are you afraid?"
Liang Zhen's eyes flashed dangerously.
"You know what happens when rival Alphas enter my territory."
The line went quiet.
Then Han Wei said something that made the atmosphere suddenly heavier.
"Territory can change, Liang Zhen."
The call ended.
Liang Zhen slowly lowered the phone.
Chen Kai stood up immediately.
"That guy again," he muttered. "What does he want now?"
Liang Zhen walked toward the window, staring down at the city streets far below.
"Power," he said simply.
Han Wei had always wanted control over Liang Zhen's territory.
And now he was back in Shanghai.
That meant trouble.
Chen Kai rubbed the back of his neck.
"This is bad timing," he said. "Especially when you're already dealing with… other things."
Liang Zhen knew exactly what he meant.
Mei Lin.
For some reason, his instincts kept circling around her like a storm waiting to break.
And now a rival Alpha had entered the city.
None of this felt like coincidence.
Meanwhile, across the city in a quiet apartment, Mei Lin's son Liang Rui sat on the floor playing with his toys.
Suddenly he stopped.
His small head slowly lifted.
His eyes looked toward the window, as if sensing something far away.
For a moment, his pupils flashed faint gold.
Then they returned to normal.
The little boy blinked in confusion and continued playing, completely unaware that somewhere in Shanghai…
Two powerful Alphas had already begun moving pieces in a silent war.
And somehow, he was already part of it.