No Second Chances Apocalypse

| September 26, 2023 - 8:45 AM

Lin stepped into the office, coffee in hand, feeling unbothered.

She had secured her remote job, her farm, and a future far from all of this corporate nonsense.

All she had to do now was pretend to care until she didn't have to anymore.

She had just sat down when a familiar presence loomed near her desk.

Lucas Fang.

He looked tense, his usual relaxed posture replaced with tight shoulders and sharp eyes.

Lin raised an eyebrow. "You're here early."

Lucas exhaled, rubbing a hand down his face. "Yeah. Had a great night, thanks for asking."

Lin sipped her coffee. "You look like you didn't sleep."

Lucas scowled. "I didn't."

| September 26, 2023 - 8:50 AM

Lin set her cup down, tilting her head. "What happened?"

Lucas leaned against the edge of her desk, arms crossed. "Vivian Zhao happened."

Lin's eyes sharpened. "What did she do?"

Lucas exhaled through his nose. "Last night, after that charity event? She cornered me in the car—hands all over me. Told me I should've 'relaxed' the first time."

Lin stilled.

Vivian Zhao had ruined his career over a lie.

And now?

She was trying again.

"She touched you?" Lin's voice was flat, cold.

Lucas let out a humorless laugh. "Feel me up? Yeah. Didn't even try to be subtle." He exhaled, shaking his head. "I shut her down, obviously, but—"

"But she doesn't like being rejected."

Lucas met her gaze. "Exactly."

Lin leaned back in her chair.

She had already decided to take Vivian down.

Now?

It wasn't just about revenge anymore.

It was about protecting Lucas before she ruined him again.

| September 26, 2023 - 8:55 AM

Lin picked up her phone, scrolling to her video evidence from last night.

Then she looked back at Lucas.

"Don't worry," she said smoothly.

"I've got something better than a rejection."

| September 26, 2023 - 9:00 AM

Lin spun Lucas's phone in her hand, her fingers tapping lazily against the case.

Lucas watched her warily, arms crossed. "Should I be worried?"

Lin smirked. "Not if you trust me."

Lucas exhaled. "That's the problem. I do."

Lin tapped the screen, pulling up his messaging app. "Then let me fix your problem."

Lucas didn't argue. He just leaned in, watching as she typed.

| September 26, 2023 - 9:02 AM

She scrolled through his contacts, found Vivian Zhao, and attached the damning photo—Vivian, lipstick smudged, tangled up with the blond model at the Ember Club.

Then, she typed:

[Text to Vivian Zhao – Sent from Lucas's Phone]

Vivian, I wonder what William would think if he saw this?

Let's not find out.

$1,000,000. Discreet transfer. No tricks.

You'll get the details soon.

Lucas whistled low. "Damn. You're really going for it."

Lin handed him back the phone. "Trust me, she'll pay."

Lucas exhaled, staring at the message.

"You know she'll come after me for this," he said.

Lin leaned back, completely unfazed.

"Let her try."

Because Vivian Zhao might have thought she was untouchable—

But Lin was always three steps ahead.

Chapter 32 – Panic in High Heels

| September 26, 2023 - 9:05 AM

Lucas's phone buzzed violently in his hand.

Lin smirked. "Told you she'd answer fast."

Lucas glanced at the screen. Three messages.

[Vivian Zhao – 9:05 AM]

Lucas. What the hell is this?

[Vivian Zhao – 9:06 AM]

You think you can blackmail me? Do you have any idea who you're messing with?

[Vivian Zhao – 9:06 AM]

Delete it. Now. This is your last warning.

Lucas raised an eyebrow. "She's pissed."

Lin chuckled. "She's scared. There's a difference."

She took the phone from his hand, calmly typing back.

[Lucas – 9:07 AM]

You have one hour. Pay up, or William gets a little surprise in his inbox.

They watched the "read" receipt pop up instantly.

Then—

A full minute of silence.

Then—

Incoming Call: Vivian Zhao.

Lin and Lucas exchanged a look.

Lucas sighed. "Should I answer?"

"She's panicking," she said, handing the phone back to him. "Pick up."

Lucas sighed, rubbing his temple. "And say what?"

Lin leaned in, lowering her voice just enough to be dangerous.

"Tell her you want the money in gold coins."

Lucas blinked. "Gold? Are you serious?"

Lin grinned. "Completely. It'll be fun."

Lucas gave her a look, but there was a flicker of amusement beneath the exhaustion.

"...You're insane," he muttered.

"Vivian could have cost you your career last night," Lin reminded him. "Make her sweat."

Lucas exhaled sharply, then accepted the call.

| Call Connected – 9:08 AM

"Lucas," Vivian's voice came through, tight, furious, and just a little bit shaky. "Are you out of your goddamn mind?"

Lucas leaned back in his chair. "Morning to you too."

"You think you can blackmail me?" Vivian hissed. "Do you have any idea what I could do to you?"

Lucas met Lin's gaze, his smirk mirroring hers.

"That's funny," he said smoothly. "Because I was about to ask you the same thing."

A pause.

Then Vivian's voice lowered dangerously.

"How much do you want?"

Lin made a small rolling motion with her fingers. Go on. Say it.

Lucas bit back a chuckle, then answered.

"One million," he said. "In gold coins."

Silence.

Then—Vivian actually scoffed. "Are you joking?"

Lucas shrugged, even though she couldn't see it. "Do I sound like I'm joking?"

"You're insane," she snapped.

"You're stalling," he countered. "Which means you know I'm serious."

Vivian exhaled, shaky but furious. "Why gold?"

"Because banks flag large transfers," he said. "And we wouldn't want William asking any uncomfortable questions, would we?"

A sharp inhale from Vivian.

Lin grinned.

Checkmate.

| September 26, 2023 - 9:12 AM

Lin tapped her fingers on the desk, watching Lucas process what had just happened.

He still looked half-amused, half-bewildered.

"Gold coins," he muttered, shaking his head. "You really made me say that."

Lin smirked. "And it worked."

Lucas exhaled, dragging a hand down his face. "What now?"

Lin leaned back in her chair, stretching.

"Now," she said, "you act normal."

Lucas gave her a flat look. "Normal? You just had me blackmail my ex-boss's wife for a million dollars in gold."

Lin took a sip of coffee. "And?"

Lucas sighed. "And what if she doesn't pay?"

Lin glanced at his phone. "She will. She's too scared not to. But until then?" She turned back to her laptop. "I have actual work to do."

Lucas scoffed. "You're really going back to your little PowerPoint now?"

Lin clicked open her files. "Zhao has meetings next week. Presentations don't make themselves."

Lucas stared at her for a long moment, then let out a quiet laugh.

"Unbelievable."

Lin smirked. "That's why it works."

| September 26, 2023 - 9:15 AM

Lucas shook his head, standing up.

"Fine. I'll act normal. But if I suddenly disappear, you better avenge me."

Lin didn't even look up from her screen.

"If you disappear, I'm taking Jake."

Lucas paused, then snorted. "Fair enough."

He walked off, and Lin focused on her PowerPoint slides, as if she hadn't just orchestrated corporate blackmail before lunch.

Just another Tuesday.