Addicted after marriage - Chapter 4:
By the time the workday ended, the office was almost empty.
From the window, Luo Shu could see Qin Heng standing downstairs,
clutching a bouquet of roses, waiting for her. The sight made her laugh under her breath.
Qin Heng worked as a low-level government clerk a position his father
had practically bought for him through connections.
He held the title, but no real power.
His father owned the largest car dealership in City A and
had always disapproved of Luo Shu. Instead, he favored Liao Xian,
whose family had a solid background in government.
A marriage between the Qin and Liao families would tie their political and
business interests neatly together.
So Liao Xian was determined to win. But since Qin Heng was still technically dating Luo Shu,
their little affair had to remain in the shadows.
Luo Shu stood by the elevator, earbuds in, answering his call while
scrolling through a comic on her tablet.
Her voice was honeyed, insincere, perfectly rehearsed.
Yes, darling. You go ahead first. I’ll be right there. Of course, I’ll be on time. Don’t worry.
What she didn’t notice was that the elevator had already opened.
Shen Yan was holding the door, his hand pressed against the frame to keep it from closing.
Inside stood Yu Zhan, watching her with the faintest hint of amusement curving his lips.
Shen Yan kept his head turned, fighting not to smile.
You know how it is, she continued airily into her phone. My boss is such a vampire…
The words were barely out of her mouth when she looked up and froze.
Yu Zhan’s dark eyes met hers, his expression unreadable.
Shen Yan looked as though he’d just witnessed a car crash in slow motion.
Luo Shu ended the call so fast it was almost a reflex.
President Yu…
Hmm.
She could have sworn she saw the corner of his mouth twitch upward.
Come in, Shen Yan said quickly, eyes wide in silent warning.
Luo Shu forced a bright, awkward smile and stepped into the elevator.
The air inside felt instantly heavier, thick with unspoken tension.
Amazing how a single sentence could dig a grave this deep.
Going on a date, Miss Luo? Yu Zhan asked lightly.
Not really. Just sending a friend… to the crematorium.
Need any help with that? His tone didn’t even change.
No, thank you. I can handle it.
Shen Yan nearly choked. He understood her meaning perfectly.
After all, among the three of them, Qin Heng’s name was hardly a secret.
The elevator stopped at the 18th floor.
The doors slid open and a group from the PR department flooded in, cheerful and loud.
Good evening, President Yu!
He nodded briefly, face as calm as ever.
The PR team was known for their chatter. Within seconds,
the small space was filled with laughter and conversation.
Move over, someone called, it’s getting tight in here!
Luo Shu felt a sudden pressure at her waist. A strong arm guided her closer,
the heat of his body seeping through the thin fabric of her blouse.
Her shoulder brushed against his black suit, leaving a faint trace of powder behind.
Just as quickly, he released her.
Her cheeks burned. She felt like a furnace about to burst.
When they reached the ground floor, the PR group poured out in a rush.
She caught bits of their gossip as they disappeared down the hall.
Did you see that? A hickey on President Yu’s neck!
I heard he had breakfast with someone this morning. Must’ve been her.
You don’t get marks like that from a handshake!
Perfect. The PR team lived up to their reputation.
Luo Shu wanted to escape with them, but when she caught sight of
Qin Heng still waiting outside with his flowers, she ducked back into the corner.
Yu Zhan’s eyes flickered toward her, saying nothing.
Not going out? Shen Yan asked, too casually.
He definitely knew something.
If she stepped outside, she’d have to face the cheater.
But staying meant getting into the car with her boss again.
I left something upstairs. You two go ahead. I’ll grab it and be right down.
Even the single-floor ride felt endless, like standing with a knife pressed against her neck.
When they finally exited on the basement level, she exhaled and leaned against the wall,
her legs weak with relief.
Might as well head back up and finish some work.
Back on the 28th floor, she set her bag down and let out a long sigh.
The city lights glittered outside like spilled jewels.
She put on some music, sat at her desk, and began sketching.
Hours passed. Qin Heng called again, but she ignored it,
switched off her phone, and made herself a coffee.
Let’s see who outsmarts who this time, you time-management fraud.
By ten-thirty, she had finished her draft. Satisfied, she saved her work, packed up,
and headed for the elevator.
Strange. Both elevator lights were off.
She checked her messages and found one from the company group chat:
Elevator maintenance tonight. Service resumes at 8 a.m.
You’ve got to be kidding me. Twenty-eight floors on foot?
She snapped a photo of the dark elevator and posted it on her Moments.
Trapped in my tower. Any knights available to rescue their queen?
Then, resigned, she walked toward the dimly lit emergency staircase.
The stairwell smelled faintly of concrete and dust.
She took a deep breath, gathering her courage, and started down.
Two steps in, her phone rang. The sudden sound echoed off the walls,
making her jump and let out a small scream.
The phone slipped from her hands, tumbling down to the landing below.
The ringtone echoed through the empty stairwell, then stopped. T
he silence that followed was thick, eerie.
She crouched, retrieved the phone it was dark. Dead. Probably broken from the fall.
Perfect.
She pressed the power button in vain. Nothing.
Then, from above, the motion sensor light flicked on.
A steady rhythm of footsteps followed.
Click. Click. Click.
Leather shoes. Slow, deliberate.
Who’s there? she called out, voice trembling.
A shadow appeared at the top of the stairs, tall and broad-shouldered,
backlit by the faint hallway glow. She couldn’t see his face,
but she recognized the outline instantly.
I am the vampire boss.
It was his voice.
President Yu? What are you doing here? she stammered.
Vampires hunt at night, don’t they? His tone was teasing, smooth, infuriatingly calm.
He really was the type to hold a grudge.
Still, her fear eased a little. At least it wasn’t a stranger or something worse.
Come up, he said.
I’m going home.
For some reason, standing there in the half-darkness,
he seemed more dangerous than the empty stairwell.
You can’t, he said lightly. The ground floor is locked.
He paused, his voice steady and deep. The maintenance usually takes one or two hours.
If you don’t mind waiting, you can come up for a cup of coffee.
Could she say she minded? Absolutely. But what choice did she have?
He didn’t wait for her answer. He turned and started climbing back up.
Luo Shu stared down into the dark, endless stairwell, then sighed and followed.
The 30th floor just like everything else about him was sealed behind a code-locked door.