A Twisted Love Affair-Chapter 229: “Do you think how you got in here, huh?”_1

The room was plunged into darkness. The bodyguard outside discreetly closed the door, pressing the "Do not disturb" button on the doorplate’s LCD screen.

"Do not disturb."

"Zhou Luchen!"

"You’re hurting my hand again!"

He was preoccupied and ignored her cry. With one hand, he lifted her by the waist and threw her onto the sofa.

Shen Jing’s head jolted from the impact. In the blink of an eye, a dark figure swept over her. His solid, powerful body pressed down, and a long arm shot out, pinning her wrists above her head.

Shen Jing’s legs thrashed restlessly. She kicked out, not knowing what she struck, but whatever it was made her freeze. Instantly, she became docile, daring not to make another rash move.

In the silent darkness, Zhou Luchen expertly pinched her chin.

A little more force and her jaw felt like it might dislocate. Pain shot through her, but she bit down hard, refusing to utter a sound.

A low chuckle rumbled from him. His breath fell upon her skin, and just as he was about to kiss her, Zhou Luchen seemed to recall something and abruptly avoided her lips.

"Sharing a bed with him at the Park Hyatt already?"

He seemed to understand perfectly.

Shen Jing’s lips curved into a defiant smile. "Yes," she said, her tone challenging.

"I told you back in Switzerland. I’ve talked to him; he doesn’t like it when I get entangled with an ex."

Zhou Luchen’s voice, husky and so faint it was almost breathless, grazed her ear like dissipating smoke. "Going out of your way to buy clothes... do you two enjoy that sort of thing?"

Was the nobleman pinning her down jealous, or did he just have an overactive imagination? Shen Jing couldn’t tell. As usual, she lied, "Yes."

Zhou Luchen let out a cold scoff and nipped at her earlobe.

It must be swollen now. Her ears were her most sensitive spot. Sure enough, her body soon went pliant.

A few minutes passed.

Zhou Luchen released her lips. He easily lifted her by the waist, shifting her position so she was sitting in his lap, facing him.

The more Shen Jing struggled, the more forcefully Zhou Luchen pressed her back into his embrace.

His broad palm gripped the outside of her thigh, his fingers brushing against her skin.

After only two or three such struggles, she found herself completely immobilized. Afraid of being overpowered further, she became uncharacteristically still.

Holding her, Zhou Luchen leaned back against the sofa. His voice, thick with arousal, was dangerously seductive as he asked, "Does putting on an act for me amuse you?"

She mumbled, "I wasn’t acting, and I didn’t lie to you. You shouldn’t just go around hugging other people’s girlfriends."

"Oh?" Zhou Luchen’s smile was unreadable. "So, I specially pulled strings to get someone else’s girlfriend into an FIT meeting?"

Shen Jing fell silent. She thought about it but still couldn’t figure it out. Yet, from what she knew of Zhou Luchen, he had always unconditionally helped her. Whenever she needed something, it seemed he understood and would never stand idly by.

Perhaps she was lost in her thoughts, for Zhou Luchen took her hand and guided her fingers to unfasten the platinum tie pin at his collar, his movements unhurried.

He spoke softly, "How do you think you got in here, hmm?"

Suddenly, Shen Jing realized what her hands were doing and hastily dropped the expensive platinum pin.

"I worked hard. I was lucky."

Zhou Luchen’s gaze followed the pin as it glinted briefly on the carpet. He smirked, a hint of amusement in his tone. "Why so flustered? Did it offend you?"

Shen Jing huffed, "I just hate them! You left one on my bed last time, and it kept poking me while I tried to sleep."

"I didn’t leave it there on purpose."

That was Zhou Luchen for you, always speaking in that aloof, aristocratic tone, even when offering something close to an apology.

Whether he meant to or not was irrelevant now; it was in the past. Shen Jing snorted. "Besides, I earned my place here! I worked day and night, staying at the office until four in the morning. Do you have any idea how hard my elder sister worked, practically living there? We all did! We deserved that invitation. My elder sister and grandfather were overjoyed."

Zhou Luchen chuckled inwardly. The girl was truly stubborn. It was precisely because she’d worked so hard that she deserved it; that was why he’d had someone re-investigate Sheng Peng’s track record and financial capabilities.

However, Zhou Luchen didn’t spell it out. She was perhaps too naive, too innocent. EMEAP’s decision to choose Sheng Peng hadn’t hinged solely on her efforts.

In this world, who didn’t work hard to achieve their goals and get what they wanted?

Zhou Luchen asked quietly, "EMEAP is in charge here. Everyone in that room knows each other. Which of those financial magnates can’t be found online? Any one of them is influential enough to shake the financial and trade sectors."

That was true. Shen Jing’s voice faltered, "I..."

She detected a hint of mockery in Zhou Luchen’s voice. "There are only a few domestic slots. Those old, blond, blue-eyed fossils—do they share your ancestry? Why would you think they’d show any particular kindness to the Shen Family?"

Shen Jing understood. The Shen Family was qualified, and so was she, but a regular spot wouldn’t necessarily have gone to them. It wasn’t about snatching a spot from someone else; since they were deserving, an additional entry slot had simply been created for them.

For once, it seemed Chairman Zhou actually held her in some regard.

"Thanks, then, for agreeing to re-evaluate the Shen Family."

Zhou Luchen’s fingers combed through her hair, tucking a strand behind her shoulder. "What good is your thanks?"

His tone, befitting a young master, was utterly disdainful.

"Sorry," "thank you"—he seemed to detest hearing such words from anyone. A man like Zhou Luchen had no kindness in his bones to speak of. Even if someone were to kowtow and beg for forgiveness, he would never grant it.

"Come home with me." 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Shen Jing shook her head. "No. I have a dinner date. Besides, you probably have some beautiful companion waiting for you at your place. I’m not going."

Completely ignoring her words, he said in a low, firm voice, "I’ll starve your cat to death."

"You wouldn’t dare." Suddenly, Shen Jing felt she understood Zhou Luchen perfectly. "If you were truly willing, it would have been tossed out at Yunding to fend for itself long ago."

His fingers tightened in her hair, giving it a teasing tug. "Do you absolutely have to go out to eat with him?"