She shot up to her feet and was about to leave when she felt his bony hands grab onto her wrist. She swiveled around to face him, mortified.

The people surrounding her gasped in shock and she fumed. Her hand was tugged downwards and she couldn't come to look at him.

He was down on one knee, his finger curled around her wrist, his grip so tight that it hurt.

She flinched but couldn't pull her hand away. She saw her father in the distance, looking on with disinterest while his wife looked delighted.

All contrived. That was why Yun Sui Bo had left numerous messages to Li Min so that she would attend.

If this was the Victorian Era, she would consider herself compromised. She didn't know what to do. She could lash out and make this man face the ridicule in these social circles, or she could silently listen to him and let the rumors go on.

There was only one way. She didn't like the setting but she had to.

No one would come to her rescue. Her eyes turned and sought out the figure of the man. But he was nowhere in sight. She was drowned in the curious faces of others who wanted to watch a show.

"Get up," she commanded. "Get up before I insult you."

She wasn't lying. Her father's indifferent eyes met hers and she sneered. Chen Yue was clutching onto her mouth and waiting with twinkling eyes.

"Please, make me the happiest man on the planet by marrying me, Yun Qian Meng."

She sucked in a breath, allowing the smugness of his tone to infuriate her further. To these people, this was the most romantic thing in the world. Making yourself vulnerable and open and laying out your feelings… how romantic.

Not.

"You've made me a spectacle in front of people who respect me," she started. This was her first warning. "It would have saved you some heartache if you asked me in advance and in private."

'Heartache,' she scoffed.

She wrenched her hand out of his grip and kept the flute of champagne down on the table in the distance. Her clutch was in her grip instantly and she popped it open and pulled out her checkbook.

She signed on the check and put the pen back into her purse. She sauntered back, the eyes on her many, and stood in front of him, towering over him.

"Get up," she said.

He looked confused for a second but shakily got up. She grabbed his wrist to turn his hand palm up. She slapped the check into his open palm and stepped back.

Her hand itched with disgust and she stared at it. The expression on her face was enough to let everyone know.

"What is this?" Bai Ye Qing asked.

"A blank check. I will never marry you. And because you say you love me, I am giving you enough money to get over your heartache from my rejection."

"What is the meaning of this?" His voice raised.

"You needed my money, didn't you? That's why you were chasing my skirt. As a few others. I am helping you pay it off in exchange for your distance from me."

"I don't know what you mean," he said, his eyes frighteningly angry. He glanced towards the crowd and back at Qian Meng.

"I am sure the debts at the gambling bars, the women with whom you do drugs, and the vacation to the Bali you are going to take with your girlfriend will be funded by this." She smiled a saccharine smile. "You see, I have enough money to buy you."

She took another step back.

She grabbed a bunch of tissues on her way out and rubbed her hands furiously, making a show of it as she left.

The room buzzed with excitement and the faces of most were delighted.

She stormed towards the restroom after gracefully walking out of the ballroom. She scrubbed her hand and patted the back of her neck with some cold water. The little buzz she felt from all the alcohol had vanished the minute Bai Ye Qing dropped to his knees.

She needed to go home. But she couldn't drive back herself so she called on a designated driver.

The door to the restroom slammed open and she waited. The wide glass wall showed her father's fuming face.

"Last time I checked, father, you were not a woman," she said. She knew she was crossing the line. That she shouldn't anger him more, but she did.

The final straw. She wanted to see what happened after that.

He'd pulled the worst deception on her, therefore, she was in her right to give him back every strike he had dolled out.

"I am not in the mood for your rubbish. You will marry him and that will be the end of it." Qian Meng rolled her eyes.

"I still don't understand what that will do." She eyed him suspiciously. "You don't have any power over me, Mr. Yun."

"I can ruin you," he warned.

Qian Meng froze. He could, she knew that.

"If you ruin me, I'll crawl up from the bottom again, father. I never needed your help, and I will not take it even if I am on the brink of death." It was an oath. "If you think that I will hand over my company or any of my money to you and your second wife, you are wrong. I will make sure no one gets a dime of my money."

She pulled out her phone and was about to dial Li Jun's number when the phone was snatched from her.

"You've done nothing but disappoint me since you were born," Yun Sui Bo seethed. "Everything you do is meant to make my life worse and I will not have any more of it."

Qian Meng chuckled bitterly. "I'm not surprised. So, what do you want me to do?"

"Go back and rectify the situation." His eyes burned.