1:00 a.m., Elite Saphire Penthouse ;

The girl unlocked the door and stepped inside, tossing her shoes behind the door as she tiptoed into the kitchen through the hallway.

"You could wake me, you know?", Xi Yuan turned on the living room lights and leaned against the kitchen entrance. "Why bother sneaking in like a thief?"

"I didn't walk in like a thief.", the girl pouted.

"Well...", Xi Yuan laughed, "When you 'walked' in hastily with those sneakers in your hands, it certainly looked like that.

"Come on, tell me now. What are you worried about? You go all 'ice-cream binging' when you are super stressed. What's the trouble in paradise?"

"Nothing.", Rong Xinghe replied, dazed. She was still trying to find a pattern in the Bleeding Avenues' recent attacks; still wondering what brought them back.

"Xinghe...", the man raised his brows at the girl meaningfully.

"Yeah. A rough day.", the girl admitted, "But let's not talk about it. Please? My head's aching."

"Alright. Sure.", the man nodded, "What do you think we should do?"

"Hmm...", Rong Xinghe grinned, jumping down the kitchen galley and pecked the man on his lips softly, "A kiss, to begin with. Now that it has been taken care of, I will go and get freshen up. Meanwhile, could you switch on the TV? I need serious FRIENDS therapy."

"Sure. What episode?"

"The one with the Baby on the bus.", the girl winked, rushing towards the stairs, "It's hilarious."

___________________

Meanwhile, Rong Family Home ;

"What do you mean she rejected your offer?!", Rong Yufan scowled as he swirled the whiskey in the glass, in his hands, "Does she have a death wish?"

"Calm down, Yufan.", the old man shook his head, flipping the pages in front of him casually, "That girl means nothing to us. Who cares if she dies or lives? The important thing is that she is still unknown about her origin. Inviting her into the Rong family was never the plan. It was just a test. Rest assured, she doesn't know the truth."

Rong Yufan gritted his teeth as he closed his eyes. He couldn't possibly forget the humiliation of being stripped off of his rightful business empire. That bitch never deserved it. Yet, she had tricked those shareholders into handing the company over to her, while he was left with nothing. It would be a lie if he was to say that he wasn't vengeful. He was more than tempted to torture her for an eternity, just like the old times.

"Yufan, you have just returned back, son.", Rong Quiang noticed the young man's silence and decided to speak up, "We still have no idea who has been sponsoring us. I advise you to not act rashly, alright? The girls mean nothing to us. Just keep that in mind."

Rong Yufan rested his head against the back of his chair and unbuttoned his Wine Red three-piece suit lazily, his right hand still swirling the glass. "Grandfather, I am not depending upon this 'anonymous sponsor'. Trust me. I am simply curious to know his identity. Why would someone support the Rong family in times of need, all of a sudden?

"Anyhow, I have my backup. Don't worry. And as far as those girls are concerned, I don't plan to let go of them. Not in this lifetime. Specifically, not that Xinghe."

At this time, the man's phone rang up and a number popped up on his screen. The man furrowed his brows and strode outside the study room, "Is she dead?"

"Try harder, Rong Yufan!", an unfamiliar masculine voice resounded through the other end, "The supposed 'assassin' you hired couldn't even reach the Elites' main gate, and he is already begging me for mercy."

"Who are you?!", Rong Yufan clenched his fists, his gaze turning a few shades darker.

"A well-wisher. Not yours. Xinghe's.", the man smiled, "Come on, man. What happened to that maniac, that wild Rong Yufan who once pushed his own sister down a running train?! This is a low blow, even for you. And you know it."

"So you want to negotiate now?", Rong Yufan laughed, "Go ahead and kill him. I don't care."

"I know you don't. You never had any regard for human life, whatsoever.", the other man chuckled coolly, "He will die eventually. He pointed his gun towards Xinghe. That's literally suicide.

"I am not negotiating, though. I am warning you. Stay away from Rong Xinghe."

The call got disconnected as soon as the man was done speaking. He then looked down, at his prey, struggling to get his boots off from his upper abdomen, as he lied on the ground. Covered in his own pool of blood. "Wh...Who are you?", the 'attacker' grunted.

"Ashfakh Ali.", the young man smiled genuinely, "Does the name ring a bell?"

"Urgh!", the man shrieked as a sharp metal penetrated right through his chest, piercing his heart.

"Well... Silent Soldier? No?", the man twisted the knife further, "Military Hybrids? Nah? I guess you are better off dead then." The man pulled out the knife from the dead body and stood up, walking to the edge of the terrace, facing the Elite Saphire Penthouse. "I am back home, Xinghe.", he mumbled to himself.

"Sir.", two soldiers approached the man, saluting him respectfully, "Welcome back."

"Bury the body. Clean the mess.", Ashfakh waved his hands, "And pass me the lighter. I need to smoke."

The two men followed his orders and disappeared with the body in no time, leaving him all alone on the terrace.

Rong Yufan. He never thought he would hear that psycho's voice ever again. The Rong family Prince. The spoiled brat, except for the fact that he was a dangerously crazy hypnotist. It turned out he hated the girl now just as much as he did years ago. Impressive! And consistent.

Then again, it wasn't as shocking as the girl's relationship with Business King Xi Yuan. The man smiled as he stared at the dimly-lit penthouse. He remembered how she had pledged to never get into relationships. She had once told him she would never marry, in fact. And he had replied with a smirk and a few words-of-wisdom, 'You are going to love like no one ever loved, Xinghe. That will be ironic, then.' She had punched him in the face then. She had always been the ferocious wild lioness.

'Told you so, Sweetheart.', the man grinned, pulling out his cigarette case. The ironic romance.