Chapter 2
Frances was taken aback by the man's cold indifference, utterly stunned. Her jaw clenched so tightly it felt as if her teeth might shatter. In a surge of anger, she yanked off her black mask and hurled it across the slick, rain-soaked street. It landed with a splatter in the gutter.
She had never met a man so blunt—so completely unapologetic—and it made her stomach twist with discomfort.
Returning to her hometown after four long years, she hadn't expected one encounter to make her feel so alive, so unsettled all at once.
Her phone battery had died, leaving her unable to contact her driver. And now, rain poured down relentlessly, drenching the streets. Frances lifted her head, realizing the storm showed no signs of easing, yet she had an appointment with her family that evening. She had no choice but to run through the downpour, racing toward the car parked across the road.
"Call my father and let them know I can't make it to dinner tonight," she instructed, voice tight with irritation. "Tell them I caught a cold and just want to go straight home and rest."
"Understood, Miss Song," the driver replied quietly.
Finally, seated in the warmth of her luxurious car, Frances shivered, drenched and coughing. Her mind still burned with anger at the arrogant man she had crossed paths with earlier. Not only had he humiliated her, but he had also thrown her carefully laid plans into disarray.
…
As the sun rose, Frances woke with a dull ache all over—clearly, the cold she'd caught last night wasn't going away. She brushed it aside, sitting up slowly and giving herself a few careful stretches.
Her carefully laid plan had been completely ruined. Last night, her father had hosted a welcome-back ceremony for her, with every member of the Song family in attendance. It had been the perfect stage to expose Mia Jing and humiliate her in front of everyone.
Frances had learned that Mia Jing already had an illegitimate son—a revelation that would have been explosive, especially for the conservative elders of the Song family.
But disaster had struck. Just as she returned with the files and photographs she'd prepared, rain had started pouring down, forcing her to rush. And then, to make matters worse, she had crossed paths with that arrogant man at the store.
Now, the plan lay in ruins. Frances decided to step back for the time being, keeping her father in the dark while she waited for the perfect opportunity.
For now, her priority had shifted: reclaim control at their company and establish herself before striking again.
….
A cluster of staff lingered under the bright entry canopy, checking their watches, straightening uniforms.
SONGint Headquarters towered over them—glass and steel, glowing with massive neon logos. Digital billboards wrapped the facade, cycling through slick corporate ads:
SONGint — Leaders in Cyber Defense and Innovation. Trusted. Secure. Entertainment. Gaming.
"Isn't that Miss Jung over there?" one whispered, nodding at a lone figure waiting by the curb.
"What's she doing outside at this hour?"
Didn't you heard? That chairman Song's daughter arrived yesterday from abroad. She must be waiting for her.
Wait? the chairman's daughter?
Yup, Miss Frances Song.
I heard many things about her, isn't she the one that first developed S-dev?
Correct, she's the one that first developed it. One of the best system defense applications at the age of 14, and after a successful lunch months after she left the company to study abroad.
Wow! S-dev is still a big company till this day, and at the age of 14? she must be a born genius.
A black limousine stops and a woman in black dress got out.
"Look! That must be her. She is a beauty!" said the girl with astonishment!
FrancesSong, 19yrs old the heir of Satan Song, chairman of Songint.
"Her presence is unbelievable! "She walked with quiet confidence, snow-white skin glowing under the light. Her black wolfcut framed a small, beautiful face, A aura cool blend of elegance and edge."
….…
"Welcome back Frances", Miss Mia Jung exclaimed.
Where's my father? Does he really hate me that much? after a long time not seeing each other, he didn't even care to greet me? And only sent his mare assistant? How Disappointing. Francis sarcastically replied.
"Mere assistant" clearly stuck a nerve to Mia as her fist tightened, but she manages it very well a still put a faint smile in her face.
"Your father is having his annual check-up, he'll be here soon don't worry, and didn't you forgot that we waited for almost two hours at dinner yesterday, we even got the whole Song family in attendance at the ancestral house but just to ended up wasting because you said you're not coming anymore.
"Now I wonder where you went that night."
As Mrs. Jung asked, her tone subtly shifted. Frances's face changed too, suddenly recalling what had happened last night.
Thinking about it now made her scowl.
"That stupid guy still pissed me off," she muttered under herb breath.
"What was that?" Ms. Jing asked, barely catching her words.
"Nothing," Frances said with a smirk. And replied with striking gaze ". Should we go in now?"
"You go first. I think your father is almost done with his checkup—I need to pick him up first. Just follow this assistant; she'll guide you."
"No need," Frances said as she moved toward the main door. "I know this place well… after all, it's mine."
Miss Jing stared at her for a moment before quickly looking away. At the entrance, a familiar assistant waited.
…
"Hello, Miss Song. Welcome back… do you remember me?"
"Of course, Sia. It's good to see you again. The company looks very different from what I remembered four years ago."
"Yes, it's been renovated for expansion," Sia replied.
"I see. The company is running well, then. But let's cut to the chase—let's head to the Cybersecurity Headquarters. I heard there's a problem there."
…
As they approached, red and blue lights suddenly flickered across the department. A buzzing alarm sounded, and a flood of technicians rushed past them.
Frances and Sia saw the commotion and hurried towards it. As they entered, the room was a whirlwind of panic—techs darted back and forth, dozens of screens flickered erratically, and the rapid clicking of keyboards echoed off the walls.
Chaos struck a nerve with Frances. Without hesitation, she raised her voice, sharp and commanding:
"SILENCE!"
Instantly, the room froze. Every head turned toward her.
"What on earth is going on here?" Frances muttered, scanning the scene. "It looks like a carnival."
Sia stepped forward quickly. "Everyone, this is Miss Frances Song, the chairman's daughter."
The name alone sent a ripple through the crowd.
"Mm… Ms. Frances Song? The tech genius of Country P?"
The techs scrambled to compose themselves, bowing slightly in respect.
"So, what exactly is happening here?" Frances asked bluntly.
A senior tech stepped forward, clearing his throat. "There's a new computer virus. It infected a major financial company, forcing it to shut down temporarily. Within an hour, the infection caused widespread concern across the industry about cybersecurity vulnerabilities."
Frances blinked in disbelief. "A virus—just one virus—brought a multi-billion-dollar cyber defense company to its knees? Does that even make sense?" Her voice rose with incredulity.
"With all due respect, ma'am…" the tech began, but before he could continue, a man in a sharp blue suit forced his way through the lobby, his voice booming:
"Chairman Song! Chairman Song!"
It was Robert Jing, CEO of Jing Financial Institute. His company, ground zero for the attack, was suffering the worst of the chaos.
Many assistants tried to stop him, but he pushed past them, insisting on speaking directly with the chairman.
Frances immediately head out and left the cyber defense headquarters, her stride confident and purposeful, heading toward the anxious CEO Jing.
As they met in the hallway, she spoke first.
"CEO Jing, what seems to be the problem?" Frances asked, her tone measured but firm.
Robert Jing gave her a skeptical glance. "And you are?"
"It's me—Frances Song, the chairman's daughter. It's been a while," she replied.
At the mention of her name, Jing's face brightened. ""Y-you're Chairman Song's prodigy daughter?" His tense demeanor eased, a flicker of relief softening his features. "What a surprise to see you again. My company is in real trouble—I need to speak with your father immediately."
"Take it easy, Mr. Jing," Frances said calmly. "I'm sure we can handle this, but my father isn't here now. Why don't we wait for him inside?"
…
A few moments later, Chairman Song appeared at the end of the hallway.
He walked slowly, his usual commanding stride noticeably weakened. Mrs. Jung held onto his arm, supporting him carefully as they approached. The once-imposing figure who could dominate a room with a single glance now seemed… diminished.
Frances felt it instantly.
Four years ago, her father had stood unshakable—broad-shouldered, sharp-eyed, untouchable. Now, there was a faint pallor to his face, a heaviness in his steps. It was as if time had collapsed onto him all at once.
Her fingers curled at her sides.
Something was wrong.
And she already knew where to look.
Her gaze slid toward Mia Jung!