C15 One Year Later I will Abandon Him!

It wasn't until Soong Yiren had left that the trio snapped out of their daze.

"Can you believe her audacity?"

"Seriously! For someone as lowly as her to claim she dumped Young Master Gong!"

"Exactly! It would be an honor for her even if Young Master Gong were the one to leave her. Who does she think she is?"

"I'm livid! Waanting, we need to come up with a plan to put her in her place!"

As they whispered among themselves, Soong Yiren had already made her way to the outer hall.

Knowing she had accomplished what she came for, Soong Yiren decided it was time to depart.

After bidding farewell to Old Madame Gong and texting Gong Mochen, she promptly exited the banquet hall.

Outside, night had fallen completely. To get from the Gong Family's banquet hall to the main road, one had to cross a garden. As Soong Yiren walked across the lawn and approached a corner, the sound of a phone call stopped her in her tracks.

Though Soong Yiren had no intention of eavesdropping, the mention of a familiar name made her freeze.

"What else did Chu Mingyao say?" The man's voice, deep and magnetic, unfurled into the night.

Soong Yiren's breath caught, and she stood motionless.

Chu Mingyao—the name she loathed to her very core.

Just as she was about to listen further, the man's voice dropped to a whisper. He ended the call quickly and began to approach her.

Bathed in moonlight, his chiseled features were stark, and his eyes held a chill Soong Yiren had never seen before.

His presence exuded a bloodthirsty coldness, with a killing intent so palpable it startled Soong Yiren, who had already faced death once.

He stopped before her, his gaze dark and intense, like twin black whirlpools ensnaring Soong Yiren's eyes.

He towered over her, and even in her high heels, she felt an overwhelming sense of pressure.

The air around them seemed to be vacuumed away.

Memories of the whispers surrounding Gong Lingye swirled in her mind, quickening her pulse, yet she managed to maintain a steady voice. "Mr. Gong, I didn't realize you were on a call here, so..."

Just then, the moon emerged from behind the clouds, but the tall trees overhead cast a dappled light, causing the moon's glow to flicker uncertainly.

Gong Lingye suddenly gripped Soong Yiren's shoulder, pinning her against the wall. He looked down at her, his voice still calm, "Yet, I didn't detect any attempt from you to avoid this, did I?"

His breath warmed the top of her head as he spoke, but Soong Yiren didn't feel warmth; instead, a chilling cold enveloped her.

She responded, "Mr. Gong, I was simply caught off guard earlier, and I forgot to react."

He didn't reply, his intense gaze fixed on her. "Tell me, what brings you to the Gong Family?"

Soong Yiren shook her head. In that moment, she sensed a secret lurking within the Gong Family, one she had unfortunately stumbled upon.

And now, Gong Lingye standing before her might be contemplating silencing her for good!

She was about to speak when Gong Lingye lifted his hand to her chin, tilting her face up to his.

His head dipped lower, bringing their lips within a mere inch of each other, their breaths mingling. The scent of alcohol from his breath grew more potent.

Gong Lingye's eyes were piercing, his voice deep and seductive as if whispering sweet nothings, yet his words were chillingly stark. "I'm not sure what you're after by getting close to the Gong Family, but as long as I'm here, I won't tolerate any scheming."

"I'm not here with any agenda." Soong Yiren barely started before Gong Lingye cut her off.

His other hand snaked around her waist, pulling her closer until there was virtually no space left between them.

The light summer clothes did little to hide the firmness of his chest or the overwhelming rush of pheromones that suddenly made her feel under siege.

In her past life, she had never dated. Her time with Chu Mingyao had felt more fraternal than romantic.

Even when Chu Mingyao had made his sudden confession and her father had given his blessing, she had hesitated.

But then, she had convinced herself they were right; it made sense to be with someone familiar. After all, marriage didn't need to be about passionate love; it just needed to be comfortably livable.

Chu Mingyao was a familiar presence in Soong Yiren's life for as long as she could remember, which is why she accepted the engagement. However, their relationship lacked any real romantic development. His attempts at intimacy felt foreign to her, and as a result, they had never even held hands, let alone embraced or kissed.

So when Gong Lingye closed in on her, Soong Yiren's discomfort was palpable. She pushed against him with force, only to find that he stood unyielding before her.

This wasn't the banquet hall, but it was still a place where someone could come by at any moment. If...

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps drawing nearer, and it was clear that it wasn't just one person approaching.