After the divorce, the aloof CEO begged me not to withdraw my investment.

"President Liu, this is the latest market report, and... the results of an internal investigation."

The assistant's voice trembled slightly as he gently placed the file on the table.

Liu Qingyi took a deep breath, forced herself to concentrate, and opened the document.

The cold data felt like sharp knives, piercing her nerves.

A sharp drop in market share, partners withdrawing their investments one after another, and a deluge of negative news... every word foreshadows the group's descent into an abyss.

"how so……"

Liu Qingyi muttered to herself, her fingers gripping the document tightly, her knuckles turning white.

She felt a suffocating sensation, as if an invisible hand were gripping her throat.

What shocked her even more was the internal investigation's findings. Several core trade secret documents were leaked, including key technical information related to new energy projects.

These files are stored on highly confidential servers, and only a very small number of people have access to them.

Liu Qingyi's mind raced, trying to find the source of the leak. Suddenly, a name flashed through her mind—Su Hao.

Su Hao was a secretary she personally recruited six months ago. He was young, promising, and highly capable, and had earned her deep trust.

Many important documents, including highly confidential information, were handled by him.

“It’s him…” Liu Qingyi’s heart sank suddenly, and a chill ran from the soles of her feet to the top of her head.

She recalled Su Hao's attentive attitude, his considerate care, and those seemingly unintentional probings.

"So, it was all a lie..." Liu Qingyi closed her eyes, rubbing her temples in pain. She felt nauseous, her stomach churning.

She suddenly stood up, walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, and looked down at the bustling city below.

The skyscrapers became blurry in her eyes, as if everything was shrouded in a fog.

"Why would he do this?" Liu Qingyi's nails dug deep into her palms, but the sharp pain was nothing compared to the piercing pain in her heart.

She recalled her first meeting with Su Hao: his confident smile, his eloquent manner, and the ambition gleaming in his eyes.

"Perhaps, from the very beginning, he approached me with an ulterior motive..."

The image of Su Hao and Ye Feng confronting each other flashed through Liu Qingyi's mind, and a strong sense of unease welled up in her heart.

She remembered Ye Feng's warning, his disappointed eyes, and his resolute turn away.

"I was so stupid..." Liu Qingyi's tears fell silently, leaving two clear marks on her pale face.

She felt a deep sense of regret wash over her like a tidal wave.

The office was silent except for the jarring sound of cars honking outside the window.

Liu Qingyi slumped weakly in the chair, her eyes vacant, as if she had lost her soul.

“It’s too late to say anything…” Liu Qingyi slumped in her chair, repeating the words over and over, her voice so low it was almost inaudible.

The bitterness of the coffee filled her mouth, but it was nothing compared to the bitterness in her heart.

The office was eerily quiet, with only the ticking of the wall clock striking her nerves, as if mocking her helplessness.

She grabbed the phone on the table abruptly, her voice urgent and resolute: "Notify all department heads to convene an emergency meeting immediately! Suspend all operations and pool all funds! Immediately! Right now!"

A flurry of panicked responses came from the other end of the phone, followed by a busy signal.

Liu Qingyi put down the phone, her hands still trembling slightly. Suspending all business was tantamount to a desperate act, but now she had no other choice.

She picked up another document, which contained information about the Yunhai City Film and Television City project.

Liu Yunfei, now only he can save her, only he can pull her out of this abyss that is about to devour everything.

“A desperate gamble…” Liu Qingyi took a deep breath, trying to keep herself calm.

She dialed Liu Yunfei's number, and every second she waited for the call to connect felt like an eternity.

"Mr. Liu, hello, I am Liu Qingyi..." Her voice trembled slightly.

……

After a long negotiation, Liu Qingyi hung up the phone, her face even paler than before.

Liu Yunfei agreed to give her a chance, but it was only a chance.

The funding gap remains huge, and Liu Yunfei's demands are harsh; the slightest misstep could lead to utter ruin.

Liu Qingyi slumped back in her chair, closing her eyes listlessly. She felt dizzy and her stomach churned.

The air in the office seemed to freeze, making it hard for her to breathe.

“Not enough…” she murmured to herself, her voice hoarse.

She suddenly opened her eyes, a resolute glint in them.

She wanted to liquidate all her assets—house, car, everything that could be converted into cash!

She picked up her phone and started contacting real estate agents and used car dealers.

The noise on the other end of the phone was deafening, but she couldn't hear it clearly. Only one thought occupied her mind: raise money, raise money at all costs!

As the sun set, a dim, yellowish light enveloped the office. Liu Qingyi stood before the floor-to-ceiling window, watching the city gradually fade into darkness, a sense of bewilderment washing over her.

Skyscrapers were no longer a symbol of prosperity in her eyes, but a cold steel forest that trapped her inside.

"Ye Feng..." A name suddenly welled up in her heart, carrying a trace of bitterness and regret.

She remembered Ye Feng's previous reminder, his tireless efforts for the company, and the disappointed look in his eyes when he left.

If, if she had listened to his advice back then, if she hadn't been blinded by Su Hao's sweet words, would everything be different now?

“There’s no need to worry about these things…” Ye Feng’s confident smile appeared before Liu Qingyi’s eyes, and her steady voice seemed to echo in her ears again.

At that time, she took everything for granted. She never imagined that one day she would be so overwhelmed by funding issues.

Tears blurred her vision, and she slid helplessly to the ground, hugging her knees, like a lost child, helpless and bewildered.

The office was silent except for her suppressed sobs, which echoed in the empty space, sounding particularly desolate.

After Qi Xue left, the villa returned to silence. Ye Feng stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, watching Qi Xue's car disappear from sight, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

This sudden turn of events caused a subtle change in his relationship with Qi Xue, but the presence of Liu Qingyi added to his unease.

He returned to his study, intending to continue studying the information on the Jinxiu Group.

The phone on the table suddenly vibrated, and an unfamiliar number appeared on the screen.

"Hello, who is this?" Ye Feng answered the phone.

"Ye Feng, it's me, Jiang Lu." A clear female voice came from the other end of the phone.

Ye Feng was slightly taken aback, and Jiang Lu's image flashed through his mind. She was Liu Qingyi's best friend and one of the few people who didn't look down on him because of his status.