The Li Group's annual investor retreat unfolded at a secluded coastal resort in Hainan. Palms swayed against a cerulean sky; the ocean's lull whispered through open corridors. Yet beneath the paradise veneer, tension crackled like static. Lucian's father, Chen Li, convened executives in the conference pavilion, bamboo stalks casting dappled shadows across gleaming tables.
Lucian sat at the head, crisp white shirt unbuttoned at the collar, sleeves rolled to his forearms. His eyes were the same steely gray they'd always been—alert, calculating—but lined with exhaustion. Beside him, Yara Zhou reclined on a wicker chaise, gaze distant and cool. Her new perfume campaign had cratered, and the rumor mill spun tales of her overspending on celebrity endorsements. Lucian noticed every flicker of he
