The Trap He Crafted

Chapter 2: Either You Leave, or She Does

She knew him—she knew him all too well.

"Uncle," Nolan followed the sound of the voice, his expression softening instantly.

It was Nolan’s maternal uncle, Ewan Fu.

The man was nearly 185cm tall, and the woolen coat that would have overwhelmed most people looked elegant and noble on him.

He stood there, his slightly narrow peach-shaped eyes glancing lazily at Nolan, and everyone present fell silent, no one daring to make a sound.

Some people were just born to be the center of attention—born to stand out from the crowd.

"Uncle, you don’t understand. Briar has gone too far today. She..." Nolan frowned, trying to explain.

"Oh?" Ewan smiled softly, raising an eyebrow.

As he spoke, his gaze fell on Briar.

She stood there alone, soaking wet, dressed in thin clothes. The temperature outside was below freezing, yet no one had thought to give her something to cover herself with.

In contrast, Zoe was like a spoiled princess, surrounded by people fawning over her.

The manager of Xiyuan Garden scurried over to Ewan, explaining cautiously. "Master Fu, the surveillance cameras outside are broken, so..."

"i***t. I don’t think you need this job anymore," Ewan said coldly, not bothering to listen to the excuses.

The manager’s face turned ashen.

Ewan’s temper was well-known—going against him would lead to consequences far worse than being fired.

The manager didn’t dare say another word, glanced at Zoe, and slipped away.

Zoe held her injured forehead, leaning against Nolan and sobbing softly.

Ewan glanced at her, finding her sight offensive. He looked at the pool of blood dripping from her hand onto the ground with disgust, as if she’d dirtied his floor. He frowned and said to Nolan sharply: "Make her leave."

Zoe’s body swayed.

Nolan felt sorry for her and couldn’t bear it. He immediately protested. "But Zoe is seriously injured. Are we just going to..."

"Nolan, who’s your fiancée?" Ewan interrupted him coldly.

Nolan froze, suddenly realizing that in his eagerness to comfort Zoe, he’d acted inappropriately today.

Briar watched them, laughing bitterly. Fiancée? Nolan had probably forgotten that title centuries ago.

"I’ll count to three," Ewan said, his patience wearing thin.

"Uncle..." Nolan’s face burned with embarrassment.

But since childhood, Ewan had even slapped Nolan in front of others, never sparing his feelings. Nolan’s dignity had long been trampled under his uncle’s feet.

"Either you leave and never set foot in Xiyuan again," Ewan said expressionlessly, then turned and walked toward the meeting room on the other side.

Zoe had been hit hard, and the wound on her forehead wouldn’t stop bleeding.

Nolan hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth, lifted Zoe into his arms, and hurried out of Xiyuan without a second glance at Briar.

The temperature outside was nearly minus ten degrees Celsius, and Briar’s face was as pale as a sheet of paper.

She stood stubbornly in place, watching Nolan leave with Zoe. Her body swayed, and she couldn’t help but stumble to one side.

But the expected pain never came. A familiar aunt rushed over, caught her, and wrapped her in a coat.

Briar looked down—it was the coat Ewan had been wearing earlier.

It carried the familiar scent of Ewan’s cologne, a unique fragrance.

Briar tried to stand up on her own, but as soon as she supported herself, her legs went weak, her vision went black, and she fell back down.

"Master, Miss Qin has woken up," the assistant walked over to Ewan and whispered in his ear.

Ewan glanced out the window. Night had just fallen, and it seemed to be snowing lightly again.

"Send her back," he said softly.

"But..." the assistant hesitated.

Several men in the meeting room looked at Ewan with amusement, as if watching a show.

Ewan’s people were rarely allowed to be used—especially this assistant.

Although Ewan was known for being a playboy, he’d never really cared about any woman. He had no patience for coaxing, and even the gifts he gave were all the same, never changing.

With his status, few women in the circle dared to provoke him. Being favored by Master Ewan Fu for even a few days was considered a great honor.

Briar Qin was an exception.

Ewan glanced at them, his expression cold. "Spit it out if you have something to say."

"Miss Qin wants to see you," the assistant replied awkwardly.

"She’s waiting outside now."

Everyone knew Briar’s temper—she was famous for being stubborn, never giving up until she hit a wall.

Ewan tapped his index finger lightly on the marble table, seemingly deliberating.

After a moment, he said to the men in the meeting room: "You all leave first. We’ll discuss the rest in a few days."

They stood up quickly, saying nothing, but looking at Ewan with ambiguous smiles.

Rong Shen, the last to leave, turned back and smiled at Ewan, whispering: "Think carefully. She’s your future niece-in-law—the Xu family’s chosen daughter-in-law."

"We’re all close here. Even if something happens, no one will say a word."

Briar was beautiful—extraordinarily beautiful.

There were two famous beauties in City A: "Southern Qin, Northern Song." The "Southern Qin" referred to Briar. Her beauty, like her temper, was sharp and aggressive—she was not someone to be messed with.

"I’m not that beastly," Ewan paused, then replied calmly.

Briar... he’d watched her grow up too.

"That’s good," Rong Shen said meaningfully, then left.

Ewan was in a meeting, so Briar didn’t let anyone disturb him. She’d been standing outside waiting since she woke up, from dawn until dark.

She wasn’t trying to play the victim—she was truly desperate.

She didn’t know how long she’d been waiting when she saw a pair of leather shoes stop in front of her.

She looked up. Ewan was holding a black umbrella, looking down at her.

The black umbrella tilted toward her side. The corridor light was dim, and the overhead lamp slowly outlined his chiseled features. Dressed in a custom-made black shirt and suit, he exuded an air of noble elegance.

Perhaps because he’d helped her today, Briar thought he looked even more handsome than before.

She’d never dared to look closely at his face before—she was a little afraid of him. Now, she couldn’t help but think that Nolan was truly unlucky for not inheriting even a trace of the Fu family’s excellent genes.

"What is it?" Ewan held her gaze for a few seconds, his thin lips parting.

Briar clenched her hands at her sides. After a long while, she forced herself to speak: "I want to... borrow three hundred thousand yuan."

Ewan raised an eyebrow slightly, looking surprised.

He’d thought it would be something major—something worth Briar swallowing her pride to ask him for.

Three hundred thousand yuan was nothing more than a single dinner for the Qin family’s little princess.

He let out a low laugh, confirming again: "Three hundred thousand?"

"Yes," Briar said, her voice barely audible with shame. She’d come to Xiyuan today because she’d heard the Qin family would be dining there. She’d wanted to see her father Ronan—she desperately needed three hundred thousand yuan.

But Ronan hadn’t come. Instead, she’d been set up by Zoe.

Ewan stared at her for a long time, then said: "Come in. It’s cold outside."

Briar followed Ewan into a nearby study. He took a card from the drawer and handed it to her. "Take this first. Let me know if you need more."

Briar looked at the card in front of her. On the back was Ewan’s signature—three bold, flowing characters. It was clearly his personal card.

"I only need three hundred thousand," Briar said, not taking it.

She raised her head, summoning up her courage to look at Ewan. "I don’t know when I’ll be able to pay you back, Uncle—maybe after I’ve worked for a few years. If you..."

As she spoke, she raised her hand and unbuttoned her coat.