Something Beautiful and Wicked

1Shi Ailin woke up right at daybreak. She was entangled with Luo Wanting, their legs crossed. She fitted perfectly against him, despite their height difference.       1

He stirred sleepily, shifting on the bed, as the early sunlight cast over him. Shi Ailin bit down her lower lip, propping herself on an elbow, watching his evened-out breathing. His ash-blonde hair covered his eyes, and he looked very much like a prince.      

Shi Ailin wasn't the type to romanticize crime and violence, or villains. But she recalled that there were two types of villains: the ones with sad background stories, people who are forced to take a route they never asked for due to their circumstances; or the kind that are pure evil—doing it for the sake of power and self-interest. Only one of those kinds deserves redemption, and she knew it was him.      

Dazed from her sleep, Shi Ailin delved the courage to kiss him. She pecked his lips, fast and soft. But he didn't wake.     

Shi Ailin pouted. She then hovered over his mouth, cupping his face. She dove in for a deep kiss when she felt a hand wrap around her head, pushing her against his mouth.     

Luo Wanting peered her mouth open, pushing his tongue through.     

Shi Ailin released a sigh, moulding onto him. Luo Wanting withdrew slightly to peck her lips with gentle kisses, running them down to her cheek and jaw. He smiled. "That was very bold of you," he told her.     

Shi Ailin blushed. "I was trying to wake you," she said.     

He kissed her neck. "I'm awake."     

Shi Ailin rolled over to her side. "I have to go back home before I head to work." She then rose to collect her things. "I wanted to say bye."      

"Will I be seeing you later?" he asked her.     

Shi Ailin smiled. "How about you come to my place this time?"       

Luo Wanting grinned. "That sounds like a good plan."     

Shi Ailin began to leave when she paused at the threshold. She smiled at him before she disappeared and slipped out.     

…     

Waking up at the same time as every morning, Luo Tian opened the blinds of his window, surprised to be seeing someone walk by. His eyes widened, familiarity washing over him.     

The girl he longed for was at his home, just as he imagined many times over. But he quickly did the math in his head. It was morning, too early for anyone to be visiting. She was wearing an oversized shirt, and she was leaving his brother's wing of the estate…     

Luo Tian clenched his fingers into fists.     

…     

There was nothing more the Chairman could do to scare Shi Yen sway. Shi Group was hers. There wasn't an official announcement yet, but she knew that Yuan Shun's grandfather would be the first to hear it—he had been fooled for years, thinking that the company belonged to his grandson and the Yuan family only.     

Yuan Shun walked into her office, breaking her deep thoughts. Shi Yen's heart stopped. She had wrestled with him in the sheets that very morning. He made love to her and fucked her the night before, and she still felt the tingles of their passionate nights. And even so, she still felt a nervous twist in her stomach whenever he was around.     

Shi Yen pretended to be deep in work when he sat down on the edge of her desk, with his hands tucked in his pocket.     

Shi Yen didn't say anything as he glanced around the room. "I have made the arrangements to make the official announcement. It would certainly rattle some people, but we're prepared for it."     

"Have guests reserved their seats?"     

"Hm," he replied, smiling. "Almost everyone we invited is coming."     

Shi Yen smiled. "Good. It would be easier to see how people react to my new position."     

Yuan Shun stared at her. "I don't think many will be surprised. You are Shi Yen, after all."     

Her lips curved into a smile. "We still should make the most of that night. All of our friends with be there. Regardless if we expose anyone or ourselves, we should still have some fun."      

He looked at her dotingly. "Of course. I invited our friends, the Long's too. Long Jie said he'd bring his wife and child."      

Shi Yen looked thrilled. "Oh, yes. I've been wanting to meet his wife. Her name was Song Luli if I recalled?"     

"Yes," he answered.      

"Perfect."      

Yuan Shun stared at her. "This role suits you," he said. "It feels like you're right where you belong."     

Shi Yen stood up, meeting his eyes. "I am where I belong, and it's because of you for fulfilling my father's wishes."     

Yuan Shun grinned.     

"Since this office has been redecorated, I almost forgot that it was my fathers," she said. "You've been helping me all along, and I didn't even notice it."      

"I didn't want you to notice. That was my grand scheme."      

"I knew you had one. And I thought it was to get rid of me."      

"Well, you weren't entirely wrong," he teased.     

Shi Yen chuckled. "I have a question," she asked.     

"What is it?"     

"Did you not like me, at all, since the beginning?"     

Yuan Shun chuckled. "I resented and loathed you," he admitted. "You couldn't ever just sit down and let me do my thing. The amount of times you tried—and succeeded—in undermining my company with your schemes. You were like a piece of gum on my shoe that I couldn't get rid of until the time was right."     

Shi Yen smiled, twining her arms around his neck as he continued. "But it was the fierceness in you that made me want to see more. Sometimes I did fight back to keep it interesting. I saw you a few times during public events, determined to keep your father's secret. You were my true rival in every way, Yenni, but I also didn't want you to see me as such."     

Shi Yen kissed him, sincere and passionate. "Every time you talk, it tempts me to eat you up. This is no good since we work together."     

Yuan Shun laughed. "Hmm. I'd say that it keeps it interesting. We can spend days holding back to keep it professional, and other days," he kissed her cheek, "we can sneak around."     

"You must have spent a lot of time thinking about this," she said.     

"You have no idea," Yuan Shun replied. He brought her against him, breathlessly reminding her how good they are together.