"The task is simple," An Guowei started. "You are to get the heir of the Mu Empire to marry you within a month, gather intel regarding some matters that I will discuss with you at a more convenient time, and then finish off the Empire. It is not necessary to bear him a child, but if you encounter difficulties with the marriage proposal, then a child might be your only way," he finished in a matter-of-fact tone.
This only made the fire already burning in An Mei Lin intensify. She fought hard to maintain her composure and not give her father a dirty look.
She had thought of many possible outcomes regarding this task, but marriage? A child? Was he out of his mind?
The silence in the room deepened after An Guowei finished speaking. An Mei Lin sat unmoving, her eyes glazed with a cold frost that felt as though it could freeze anyone within three feet. After what felt like hours, she finally shifted slightly in her seat.
"I didn't know Chairman An had a say in who I get to marry," her voice was calm, cold, almost like it came from a thousand-year-old iceberg.
An Guowei let out a mild chuckle when her words reached him.
"I didn't know Miss An believed she had a say in anything that goes on in her life."
He cast her a condescending look as he leaned back in his seat, studying her for any reaction he could exploit.
"It's not like you have a choice," he continued. "You do not need me to remind you about your mother's condition, do you?"
Knowing full well he had struck her weak point, he waited patiently, expecting to see her composure crack.
An Mei Lin let out a small smile, a trace of bitterness hidden within it.
Her eyes remained fixed on the man in front of her. She knew exactly what her father was trying to do, and honestly, she felt pathetic that she couldn't stand up to him. She slowly unclenched her fist and shifted her gaze to the folder resting neatly on the desk. There was nothing she could do right now to put an end to this.
"I'll inform my men that you will be paying a visit to your mother soon," An Guowei added without waiting for her response.
He knew he had her cornered, and the thought made a satisfied expression settle on his face.
An Mei Lin said nothing. Instead, she stood up gracefully and cast one last look at her father before turning toward the door.
"I'll have my assistant inform you of my conditions," she said icily as she walked toward the door, completely ignoring the dirty looks her sister kept throwing at her.
The moment she stepped out of the room, away from the suffocating presence of her father and half-sister, her composure finally cracked. She stumbled slightly before steadying herself against the cold wall. Her breaths came out uneven as she struggled to draw air into her lungs, her head spinning.
Gone was the calm and unbothered ice princess from moments ago.
Now, she looked like a defeated lion.
After a few minutes of steady breathing, she finally regained her composure, a sardonic smile slowly forming on her lips.
How much longer was she going to remain their puppet?
Her father's words echoed in her mind.
"…when did Miss An ever think she had a say in anything that goes on in her life?…"
He wasn't wrong though.
As a child, she had done everything he asked of her. At first, she did it to impress him, to earn even a fraction of his approval. She took every class he recommended, attended the schools he chose, and endured harsh training that most would never survive.
Back then, she believed it was the only way to be acknowledged.
But as time passed, she realized something.
No matter what she did, she would never be treated the same as her half-sibling.
And so, she began to resist. She wanted nothing more than to break free from her father's control.
An Guowei saw that change. And the moment he realized his puppet was beginning to rebel, he took things further than she had ever imagined.
He took her mother.
Her mother became nothing more than a bargaining chip, a leash used to keep her in place. And An Mei Lin hated it. She hated that she was still not strong enough to break free.
Taking a slow breath, she steadied herself once more before continuing down the hallway as if nothing had happened.