Sensing the change in Tang Song’s aura, the group of executives behind him instantly tensed up, beads of sweat forming densely on their foreheads.

At that moment, Tang Song turned his head slightly, his gaze calm as it settled on Qiao Anji’s face.

“General Manager Qiao.”

“Present, Chairman Tang!” Qiao Anji bowed instinctively.

“Arrange a quiet tea room for me at the Gu Yi Business Club on the fifth floor.” His voice was low but carried an unmistakable authority that brooked no argument. “Also, pass a message to my girlfriend, Miss Tian. Tell her I’m meeting a friend and will be delayed for a few minutes, but will come later.”

Having given his orders, he said no more.

He strode forward toward the private elevator with long, measured steps—each one as precise as if measured by a ruler, yet imbued with an impeccable elegance.

As he entered the elevator, he calmly dialed Annie’s number.

“Oh, dear Song.” On the other end came Annie’s lazy yet sultry voice. “Missing me? It’s rare for you to call me first. What a surprise!”

“I’m at the fifth-floor club of Lan Feng International Hotel.” Tang Song ignored her teasing, his voice as calm and deep as a still pool. “I’m giving you five minutes. Come see me.”

“What?” Annie hesitated. “Honey, I have very important things to do right now. If you call me over, I’ll miss the good stuff...”

“Annie Kate.” Tang Song’s voice remained calm but carried the commanding presence of a superior. “You can also choose not to come.”

With that, he hung up.

At this moment, his mind was sharp and meticulous, instantly recognizing the biggest and most uncontrollable “variable” in this birthday banquet scenario—Annie Kate.

Wu Kezhi would keep to his duties, Zheng Qiudong was ambitious but knew his limits, Mo Xiangwan would consider the big picture, and Luo Bin was calm and rational.

Only Annie, this restless ocean horse full of conquest and adventurous spirit, was the greatest “instability.”

She might even act recklessly beyond control, seeking greater “thrills.”

He absolutely could not allow that to happen.

Moreover, he had the task of “Controlling Annie” to complete before the banquet started—he needed to deliver a thorough warning.

......

In less than five minutes, with a “crack,” the tea room door was pushed open.

She was clearly ready for the party tonight.

Wearing a silver strapless evening gown, the upper part adorned with tiny crystals and sequins, refracting dazzling and mysterious light under the soft tea room lamps.

The dress tightly hugged her body curves, perfectly outlining her devilish figure full of power and explosive tension.

Blond hair and red lips, her aura was fully unleashed like a blazing flame walking among mortals.

“Tap, tap, tap—”

The heels of her low-heeled shoes struck the wooden floor forcefully, each step seeming to vent her owner’s full emotion.

“Song!” She stopped in front of the tea table, arms crossed, her ice-blue eyes burning with anger and confusion. “What exactly do you want?! You actually used my full name to command me! That’s unforgivable!”

Tang Song didn’t look at her. He calmly drank the clear golden tea in his cup in one gulp.

Setting down the white porcelain cup with a soft “click,” he stood up gracefully and composedly, his movements flowing like clouds and water.

Their eyes met.

Tang Song seemed able to clearly “see” her true inner thoughts: excitement, anticipation, and an arrogance that toyed with everyone like puppets.

Seeing his deep, night-like eyes, Annie’s pupils trembled as she subconsciously reined in her own bravado.

Her heart began to race uncontrollably.

The Tang Song before her reminded her of the once-feared “tyrant.”

“You—” She tried to say something to cover her loss of composure.

“Annie.” Tang Song interrupted directly and stepped in front of her. “Let’s talk about the ‘show’ you’re preparing to perform tonight.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Annie forced her aura and lifted her chin proudly. “I’m just here for an interesting birthday party. You should know, Miss Annie’s charm is unstoppable and will definitely be the focus of the banquet. Perhaps... I might even tease a certain disobedient little woman, so she understands her insignificance.”

Her gaze locked on Tang Song, her words full of undisguised provocation and desire for conquest.

For tonight’s stage, she had prepared an extensive program.

Not only gifts but she had invited Shangguan Qiuyas and Fan Wenzeng, the representative director from Smile Capital at Jinxiu Commerce, to accompany her.

She could immediately reveal her status and become the center of attention.

For her status as a local Yancheng white-rich-beauty, this was nothing remarkable.

Faced with her provocation, Tang Song showed no emotion—no anger, no offense.

He simply looked at her quietly, as if watching a childish girl desperately trying to perform.

“You’re doing this to attract my attention, right? And also, you’re jealous of her.”

He paused, his deep gaze seeming to penetrate her soul, directly reaching the deepest corners of her heart she herself wouldn’t admit.

“Because on April 15, your birthday, I didn’t show any signs—or rather, on all your birthdays in the past years, I never showed anything, right?”

Annie’s expression slipped out of her control. “I didn’t! How could I care about something like that?”

“Not only that, you’re jealous of Su Yu, and even jealous of Mira (Secretary Jin). It’s because... they got things you thought you should have gotten. So you act like a child who cries when denied candy, deliberately causing trouble to attract my attention, right? Little Annie from Manhattan.”

Annie was like a cat whose tail was stepped on. For the first time, a trace of panic appeared in her wild eyes, exposed and seen through.

“What the hell are you talking about? That’s ridiculous!”

She nearly screamed her rebuttal.

Tang Song reached out and gently lifted her delicate chin with his fingertips, a soft yet irresistible motion, forcing her to meet his gaze.

“You’ve fallen in love with me, Annie.”

“When did it start? Let me think...”

“Was it during those days in Overseas Chinese Town, Modu?”

He paused, his thumb gently stroking her full red lips.

“Looks like your body is much more honest than your mouth.”

“Don’t be so full of yourself, Song! I admit, you have some attraction, but it’s just physical, like... like me being interested in a tasty steak! That’s not love! Absolutely not!”

She tried to use the gentlest metaphor to dismantle the emotion he exposed, protecting her dignity.

To her, falling for a man, especially being exposed publicly like this, was tantamount to admitting defeat in this game of mutual conquest—something she could never accept.

Tang Song’s hand slowly slid down, tracing her delicate collarbone and rising chest.

Finally, it rested lightly on her toned and tight waist from years of fitness.

The distance between them instantly shrank to an infinite closeness.

The aggressive scent on Annie, a blend of top-tier perfume and her own hormones, flooded his nostrils.

Tang Song stared into her feigning calm eyes, his voice softer now. “You need to understand one thing. To me, you’re interesting and useful, but not irreplaceable.”

Feeling the slight tremble of the body in his arms, he continued: “For example... your two younger sisters who have been striving to perform well in Ivy League, craving attention. They’re young, smart, and obedient.”

“Hah! Just because of them?! What qualifications do they have to compare to me?” Annie laughed disdainfully, her pride forbidding any retreat.

“But you came from that stage too.” Tang Song interrupted, a profound light flashing in his eyes. “Annie, you’re ambitious and bold—I admire that about you. So, I know you, even better than you know yourself.”

“You’re someone who never stays put. For example, in the summer of 2016, when you were vying for control of the Kate Family’s Asian Emerging Market Fund, those unsavory methods you secretly used against your cousin, who was better than you in every way...”

Tang Song’s words continued, exposing the dark secrets she buried deep in her heart.

Annie’s pupils suddenly constricted, her body stiffened.

“Also, that secret apartment you had in London, filled with photos of Mira from university and even the ballet shoes she wore... Want Mira to visit it sometime?”

Tang Song lowered his head, his warm breath softly brushing her ear, his voice carrying an icy warning:

“I hate trouble, and I hate disobedient horses even more. Annie, if you want to get everything you desire from me, you must first learn to submit.”

Time seemed to stand still.

Annie froze in his arms, motionless.

A cold torrent of indescribable shame mixed with overwhelming defeat exploded from her heart, instantly spreading through her entire body.

Her carefully painted red lips trembled violently, trying to say something to refute.

In the end, she only grit her teeth and said, “What about those days in Modu? You can’t just toy with me like that without feeling anything! Tell me you felt it too! Tell me!”

She tried to find some emotional equality and comfort.

“Tell me first,” Tang Song’s voice was calm and indifferent, as if her emotions didn’t even matter to him. “Do you understand what I mean?”

Annie met his gaze for a moment, then slowly lowered her head.

The bitterness and anger deep inside her were strangely replaced by an even stronger pleasure of total submission.

The Tang Song before her was filled with incomparable charm.

Scenes flashed rapidly through her mind.

As a huge conglomerate nearing a hundred years of existence, the Kate family gradually fragmented into independent units, with family members guarding their own interests.

In this vast Kate family, neither she nor her father, Clare, had ever been outstanding.

To climb higher and gain more, there was no other way but unscrupulous methods.

Until she met this almost ridiculously powerful man through Mira.

Under his careful “cultivation” and strategic behind-the-scenes arrangements, her life truly entered a “cheat mode.”

Originally responsible only for some family trust business, she repeatedly achieved astonishing results in the turbulent capital market;

Later, she deeply participated in founding Sinsight Capital, whose remarkable performance shocked Wall Street and made her an undeniable figure in global finance.

Eventually, she stood out unchallenged among many Kate family heirs.

She successfully helped her father gain control of the key trust symbolizing core power.

She and her family finally stood at the most prominent position in that huge family.

To her, Tang Song was mysterious, noble, silent, and even ruthless.

Her feelings for him were worship, desire, and fear.

So, when reconnecting with him, seeing his changes, and hearing about his romantic exploits, the long-suppressed desire to conquer completely exploded.

Perhaps she also hoped to see another side of him.

Then... be conquered.

She struggled to squeeze out from her throat: “...I understand.”

Hearing the answer he wanted, Tang Song smiled lightly and kissed her lips.

“Good girl. I like this side of you.”

“Tonight, you’re just my audience. You can applaud and admire, but no unnecessary moves.” Nᴇw ɴovel chaptᴇrs are published on ɴovelfire.net

“Otherwise, I’ll get angry.”

His lips were warm and soft but carried an irresistible strength, slowly grinding and savoring as if inspecting territory he had claimed.

Annie leaned against him, forced yet indulging in the sensation.

Looking at his face and his deep eyes,

A stronger, tingling electric current than ever before exploded where their lips met, instantly sweeping through her entire body!

Her mind went blank, long eyelashes trembling uncontrollably before slowly closing.

“Yes, Master...”

“So, what do you want me to do next?”