Chapter 10: The Sponsorship Agreement

My stomach churned violently.

When I woke again, my eyes were blindfolded, my mouth gagged, and my limbs tightly bound with rough rope.

The jolting of the vehicle made me realize I had been kidnapped.

Though fear surged like a tidal wave, I forced myself to stay calm.

After several deep breaths, I focused intently, trying to gather any information from my surroundings.

The confined space reeked of gasoline and a sharp, musty odor. I could feel the vehicle bumping and turning intermittently.

The engine hummed deeply, tires scraped the ground with a rustling sound, and occasionally, distant honks pierced the air.

All these sounds were muffled; I couldn’t discern the vehicle’s direction or environment.

I twisted my body, testing the tightness of my restraints and the limited space, hoping to find a glimmer of escape—but to no avail.

After an unknown length of time, the vehicle stopped.

I was roughly dragged out, and the blindfold was ripped away. The harsh light stabbed at my eyes, making it impossible to see.

Before I could adjust, a brutal kick landed squarely on my abdomen. I cried out in pain and collapsed to my knees.

As the nausea subsided, I blinked until my blurred vision sharpened.

Under the glaring light, a familiar figure came into focus.

It was Lei Liang, Fu Shuhua’s... fiancée.

Today, she wore a blazing red dress, its hem flaring like blooming poppies, making her already pale skin even more striking.

She looked down on me with disdain and triumph glowing in her eyes.

“Who... who are you?” I asked weakly, my gaze filled with confusion and helplessness. “Why did you kidnap me?”

Of course, I knew who she was and could guess her motives for coming after me.

But I also understood exactly how I needed to present myself before her.

“Jiang Tian, you really won’t give up until you hit rock bottom, will you?” Lei Liang sneered, her voice sharp and grating like nails scraping a chalkboard.

With fingers painted bright red, she gripped my chin hard, forcing me to look her in the eye.

“After all this, and you’re still playing dumb? I’m dying to know—if I ruin that pretty face of yours, will Fu Shuhua still want you?”

Her long nails scraped along my cheek, leaving a faint sting.

I instinctively tried to pull away, but behind her stood several burly men dressed in black, each looking fierce and menacing.

My heart sank to its lowest point; today, I feared, held little hope.

“I’ve already split from Fu Shuhua! I have nothing to do with him anymore!” I screamed, desperation bleeding into my voice.

Lei Liang snatched a stack of receipts from one of her henchmen and slapped them onto my face.

“No connection?! Look at these! Proof of you seducing Shuhua! Do you think your little tricks can fool me? Jiang Tian!”

The receipts scattered around us—all records of lavish dinners and luxury shopping.

I’d never been to these places; they were clearly forged!

Lei Liang’s ruthless nature could not tolerate any woman near Fu Shuhua.

I guessed she was trying to intimidate me, and knowing this, I refused to admit anything.

“That’s impossible! You’re slandering me! Fu Shuhua and I—” I tried to explain but was cut off.

“Enough nonsense! Today you have two choices: take this money and get out of Shuhua’s life, or...” Lei Liang dragged out the threat, taking a gleaming dagger from a henchman and waving it before my eyes, “disappear from this world starting today!”

The cold blade’s gleam reflected on my face, sending chills through me.

I knew Lei Liang was merciless—she would do it.

Gritting my teeth, I forced myself to calm down.

Fear and despair surged like a fierce tide, threatening to swallow me whole.

I squeezed my eyes shut, took a deep breath, and struggled to maintain composure.

I knew this was no time for fear.

I had to find a way to save myself.

My voice trembled as I said, “I was indeed supported by Fu Shuhua once, but now... we’re completely over.”

Lei Liang sneered, clearly disbelieving my words.

She slowly narrowed her eyes, suspicion and scrutiny slicing through me like sharp blades.

Tilting her head, she appraised me from head to toe, as if trying to see straight through me.

After a moment, she spoke, “Just a slut. You really think I’d believe a word you say?”

“It’s true! It’s true!” I almost shouted. “Fu Shuhua is petty and controlling. When I was with him, he even restricted what roles I could accept! I was sick of it! I’ve found a new sponsor—Gu Yan! He’s the new CEO of the Gu Group! If you don’t believe me, I can show you the contract!”

“Oh? Is that so?” Lei Liang’s tone remained skeptical, but she signaled her men to untie me.

Pressed down, I rummaged through my bag, swallowing my humiliation, and pulled out the contract I’d signed with Gu Yan, handing it over to Lei Liang.

“Look.”

The contract was crumpled. Lei Liang didn’t take it immediately but crossed her arms and regarded me with leisurely interest.

I clenched the contract tightly, my knuckles white and palms sweaty.

“Give it here.” Lei Liang finally said, signaling a burly man behind her.

The man stepped forward, snatched the contract from my hand, and passed it to her.

Lei Liang casually flipped through the pages, a contemptuous smile lingering on her lips.

From time to time, she looked up with a playful glint in her eyes, as if admiring a toy for her amusement.

After a while, the doubt on her face began to fade.

She tossed the contract to her henchman, propped her chin on her hand, and sneered at me.

“You’re not entirely stupid. I knew Miss Jiang understood what’s best for herself.”

Her men snapped photos of the contract, then returned it to me untouched.

“You may leave now, Miss Jiang. Escort her back,” Lei Liang ordered.

Relieved as if granted a pardon, I staggered to my feet and was shoved back into the car that would take me home.

The car sped off, my mind elsewhere.

Back at the hotel, utterly drained, I collapsed onto the bed, tears streaming uncontrollably.

What I never expected was that as soon as I left, Lei Liang sent the photos of the contract I showed her to Fu Shuhua, adding a thoughtful message: “Darling, your little kept bird seems to have found a new perch.”

At the Fu family mansion, Fu Shuhua stared at the photos on his phone, his gaze dark and venomous.

His fingers dug fiercely into his palm, veins bulging on the back of his hand.

He ground his teeth and cursed under his breath, his chest rising and falling violently like an enraged beast.