Stepping out of the shopping mall, My looked furious — as if a fire of jealousy was burning behind her eyes. Her heels struck the concrete with sharp clicks as she strode toward the parking lot. The moment she sank into the back seat of her luxury car, she threw her shopping bag onto the seat beside her with a thud.

  Quang, her young lover, hurried after her, slipped into the driver’s seat, then turned back with a syrupy tone.

  – “What’s wrong, my love? Tell me who upset you, and I’ll take care of them right away.”

  My gritted her teeth, her gaze sharp enough to burn through him.

  – “It’s that fiancée of Trúc Di?n!”

  Quang raised an eyebrow, puzzled.

  – “Trúc Di?n? Wait, aren’t you about to marry Tuan? You’ve got me beside you already, and now there’s some Trúc Di?n in the mix?”

  My’s voice grew louder, breath quick and hot.

  – “Just now, I heard one of the bodyguards call her ‘Princess Lita.’ Find out who that girl is — the one Trúc Di?n chose to marry.”

  Quang let out a soft chuckle as he slid the key into the ignition and rested his hand on the gearshift.

  – “Alright, leave it to me. I’ll have my men dig up everything about her by tomorrow morning. Now calm down, my darling.”

  My narrowed her eyes, her crimson lips pressed tight though her anger still churned inside. Leaning her head back against the seat, she gazed through the car window — the city lights outside shimmered like cold blades cutting through the night.

  ---

  In a famous fried chicken restaurant, the rich aroma of sizzling oil and crispy skin filled the air. Golden-brown pieces of chicken gleamed under the warm light as they were brought to the table. Trúc Di?n smiled at Lita.

  – “Eat up. I’ll tell you about that woman, My — she’s a serial man-hunter, always chasing rich men and young guys. Her name’s all over the internet.”

  Lita smirked, taking a bite of the crispy chicken.

  – “No wonder she jumped at you like she’d struck gold, even though she’s already getting married.”

  One of the two secret agents sitting across from them sipped his soda, smirking.

  – “That wretch — I could take her down in a heartbeat if the princess commands it.”

  The other agent chuckled darkly, voice low and amused.

  – “Why rush? Let’s toy with her a bit. The Lord always says — the cat-and-mouse game is far more entertaining.”

  The whole table burst into laughter, the tension melting away. The clinking of cutlery mingled with the upbeat music around them, while outside the window, Saigon’s night shimmered in lights — blissfully unaware of the storm of jealousy about to unfold.

  The quiet night at the V?ng Tàu villa shimmered with serene luxury. A sleek Bentley Bentayga rested neatly in the driveway, reflecting the silver moonlight and the soft golden glow spilling from the porch. The sea breeze carried a salty tang and the rhythmic whisper of waves, threading through the swaying palms that seemed to hum a lullaby to the night.

  Inside the living room, Erion was carefully explaining to Trang how to operate the Black Diamond satellite system on a heavily encrypted laptop. The bluish glow from the screen lit his face, sharpening the amber edges of his cold, commanding eyes — both mesmerizing and powerful.

  On the opposite sofa, Chen lounged comfortably, wearing headphones, munching on crispy fried mantis shrimp with tamarind sauce, and sipping a chilled beer while watching X-Men — a picture of lazy amusement. Occasionally, a quiet chuckle slipped from his lips.

  Suddenly, the silence was shattered by the sharp ring of a phone. Erion glanced at the screen — an unknown number. His brow furrowed.

  – “Who the hell is calling this late? Don’t tell me it’s another scammer.”

  Chen slid one side of his headphones off, grinning with dry humor.

  – “A scammer calling a demon lord? Guess they’re looking for a one-way ticket to hell.”

  Erion smirked, amusement glinting in his eyes. He tapped the speaker button — a familiar voice echoed through the room.

  – “Hello, is Erion there? It’s Trúc Di?n.”

  Erion burst out laughing.

  – “Well, well… if it isn’t the serpent himself. Must be a category-20 storm tonight.”

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  Both Trang and Chen laughed. Trang tilted her head slightly, curious.

  – “If Trúc Di?n’s calling, it must be something serious, right?”

  Trúc Di?n’s voice came through, dripping with scorn.

  – “You won’t believe this — Lita and I were out for dinner, and we ran into that woman, My — the one engaged to Tu?n. She was cozying up with her boy toy… and get this — she was jealous of Lita.”

  Erion tilted his head back and laughed heartily.

  – “Oh, so now she’s got a young lover too? That greedy witch never stops. But I’m sure you know exactly how to deal with her.”

  Trúc Di?n’s voice oozed satisfaction, laced with malice.

  – “Of course. The illusions she once feared — they’ll return. I’ll make her lose her mind from terror.”

  Chen took another sip of beer, eyes still fixed on his laptop.

  – “You should add some new tricks. Someone like her won’t be shaken by light punishment.”

  Trúc Di?n’s tone dropped to a dark, silken whisper — like the toll of a death bell.

  – “Naturally. I’ve prepared plenty of new games. Who does she think she is — questioning me, and asking why I chose Lita?”

  Trang sipped her mulberry tea, her voice cutting with disdain.

  – “She wants every rich and handsome man to orbit around her, kneeling at her feet. But her soul and worth are as hollow as bubbles — pretending to climb high when she’s nothing but empty air.”

  It was past 1 a.m. The city lights streamed through the tall glass windows, illuminating the fury on My’s face as she and Quang stepped into their luxurious apartment. She threw her handbag onto the couch and sank into the sofa, her eyes blazing with rage.

  – “Why are you so angry?” — Quang shook his head, his tone tinged with mockery. — “Don’t tell me you want to have three men at once?”

  – “Yes!” — My shot him a venomous glare, her lips curling in arrogant defiance. — “I want every exceptional man in this world to kneel before me. They must obey my every command!”

  Quang leaned back against the chair with a sneer. His thoughts turned cold and calculating:

  – “That’s exactly why I’m just using you for money. Only a fool would marry a greedy, scheming woman like you.”

  But aloud, his voice softened into a lover’s purr:

  – “Alright, it’s late already. Let’s rest for tonight. I’ll have my assistant dig up information on that girl for you first thing in the morning.”

  My slammed her palm on the table, her voice rising, eyes wide with fury:

  – “No — right now! Tell them to find her information right now!”

  Quang stood up abruptly, staring in disbelief.

  – “Do you even know what time it is? They’re all asleep. Why the hell are you so obsessed?”

  The sharp crash of breaking glass echoed through the room — My had hurled a wine glass straight into a framed painting on the wall.

  – “Right now! Or we’re done!”

  A chill ran down Quang’s spine. He exhaled heavily, forcing a strained smile.

  – “Alright, alright… your wish is my command. I’ll call the manager right away. Don’t be mad, okay, sweetheart?”

  Her eyes narrowed, crimson lips curling into a cold, satisfied smile.

  – “Any man I set my sights on — I’ll have him. If I can’t, then no one else will.”

  The air in the apartment grew thick, heavy with the scent of jealousy, greed, and deceit — the beginning of a far darker storm waiting to break with the dawn.

  Quang swiftly pulled out his phone and dialed Quan, his personal assistant. On the other end, a drowsy, irritated voice answered:

  – “Boss… what’s going on? Why are you calling me at this hour?”

  Glancing at My, Quang replied curtly, his tone cold and firm:

  – “Right now, I need you to find information about a girl named… Lita.”

  The voice on the line instantly became alert.

  – “Lita, boss? Sounds like a foreign name. I’ll need her photo to speed up the search.”

  Quang took a slow sip of water before responding:

  – “I took a picture of her earlier. I’ll send it to you now. Do it as fast as you can — I’m counting on you.”

  As soon as he hung up, My narrowed her eyes, her tone sharp and suspicious:

  – “When did you take a picture of that girl?”

  Quang shrugged, flashing a light smile:

  – “Right after you stormed out of the fried chicken place. I took one quick shot before running after you to the parking lot.”

  My smirked, pride glinting in her gaze.

  – “Not bad. You’re starting to prove yourself worthy of being my lover.”

  Quang’s lips curved in a faint smile, though his thoughts were laced with venom:

  – “If not for your father’s empire, Tu?n wouldn’t even glance your way. You hide behind titles and elegance, but underneath… you’re just another player in a game of seduction and power.”

  Outwardly, he masked every ounce of contempt with a sweet, tender smile:

  – “Don’t worry, sweetheart. We’ll have the results in about an hour. Go get some rest — I’ll call you as soon as there’s news.”

  My nodded slightly and strutted toward the bedroom with her usual air of arrogance, while Quang leaned back on the sofa, his lips curling into a sly grin — the smile of a man plotting his next move, willing to use any means necessary to get what he wants.

  It was past two in the morning. Quang was dozing off on the sofa when his phone suddenly rang. He frowned slightly, glanced at the screen, and answered. On the other end, Quan’s trembling voice broke through the silence — as if he had just seen something terrifying.

  – “Sir… this girl’s identity… it’s not ordinary at all…”

  Quang immediately sat up straight, his eyes sharp as blades.

  – “Speak clearly. Who is she?”

  The voice on the other end hesitated, shaking with unease.

  – “She’s the daughter of a powerful magnate — from a royal bloodline. Not your typical elite family either, sir. Their power and influence stretch across all of Asia. That’s as far as I could trace… the rest is blocked by a military-grade firewall.”

  Quang’s brow furrowed, sweat starting to bead on his forehead.

  – “You couldn’t bypass it?”

  Quan’s breathing quickened.

  – “Impossible, sir. This isn’t a private corporate network — it’s linked to an international military organization. The security level is off the charts.”

  At that, Quang straightened up, his expression darkening. A chilling thought flashed through his mind.

  – “My’s done for this time… she has no idea what kind of hornet’s nest she just kicked.”

  He steadied his voice.

  – “Alright. Get some rest. Good work.”

  After hanging up, Quang rushed into the bedroom, where My was sitting against the headboard — her face emotionless, though her eyes flickered with impatience.

  He quickly relayed everything his assistant had uncovered. My’s eyes widened, her voice trembling.

  – “That girl… the daughter of a magnate, and connected to the military? That’s impossible…”

  Quang sat beside her, gripping her hand tightly, his tone laced with concern.

  – “Listen to me — forget about Trúc Di?n. Your family’s hotel chain doesn’t even come close to theirs… not by a single hair.”

  My clenched her fists, lips pressed tight. A surge of anger and obsession boiled inside her. She couldn’t accept it. She wouldn’t. She wanted Trúc Di?n, no matter the cost — but this time, her rival wasn’t just another woman.

  It was Lita — the daughter of a royal-blooded magnate, a name so powerful that even the giants of the business world bowed their heads when they heard it.