Rui's steps stopped right in front of the registry office door. She still held the marriage certificate in his hand, his fingers tracing the cover as if to confirm its authenticity. His eyes stared intently at it—a mixture of disbelief, awe, and bitterness.

But a moment later, Zero snatched the book without hesitation. "I'll keep it," he said firmly, tucking it into his jacket. As if the symbol of marriage wasn't just a document, but a full right he already held.

Zero's gaze then fell on Rui, sharp yet curious. "What do you want? A bag? A car? An apartment? A mansion? A mall? Or… money?" he asked, his tone flat but clearly offering limitless wealth.

Rui crossed her arms over her chest, her brows furrowed, her face filled with annoyance. “Do you think I married you for that?” she replied coldly.

Zero narrowed his eyes, his gaze widening slightly, filled with curiosity. "So? All the women who approach me usually only want that. If not that, what do you want?" His voice lowered, clearly showing a mixture of disbelief and surprise.

Rui looked away, letting out a loud sigh and grunting in annoyance. “I already have all that. All I need is your power… for something more important.”

Zero was silent for a moment, then nodded slowly, his eyes carefully examining his wife's face. A faint smile appeared, no longer cynical, but rather admiring. With a relaxed movement, he leaned back against his car, gazing at Rui, who was now legally his.

“What do you want me to do?” he asked, casually but with interest, as if this new challenge had made him even more fascinated by the woman before him.

Rui leaned in, whispering his plan into Zero's ear in the lowest voice possible—how he would expose all the family's lies, take them down one by one, exploiting scandal after scandal, and make Arlo and the entire family regret ever playing him. His words were cold but deliberate; every detail fueled by a long-held grudge.

Zero was stunned, his eyes wide. “Are you crazy?” he half-screamed, both in disbelief and stunned by the audacity and ambition he heard.

Rui replied calmly, unwaveringly, “If you can’t do it, I can always ask another man for help.” The words were like a challenge—calm, provocative.

Hearing that, Zero immediately grabbed Rui's slender waist, pressing their bodies together until they were pressed together. Their breaths mingled; Zero's face was filled with both anger and possessiveness. "Once you marry me, don't expect to ask any other man for help. I will kill whoever that man is. Understand?" he whispered harshly, full of threat.

Rui replied with a faint smile—a mixture of triumph and teasing—and wrapped her arms around Zero's neck, resting her chin on his shoulder. "I'm not forcing. If you can do everything, I will obey all your orders," she said softly, keeping a promise full of danger in that sweet tone.

Zero raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the challenging offer. After a moment of consideration, he nodded. “Okay. I’ll grant your request. Anything else?” he asked, his tone calmer, full of interest.

Rui thought for a moment, then glared. “Maybe… give me your credit card—the one with the smallest amount?” she said, half joking, half strategically. Zero smiled wryly, then took out his wallet. “Not just any credit card,” he said, handing over a thick, shiny card, “this is a black card—no limits.”

Rui accepted it, his heart beating fast but his eyes cold and calculating. Between the closeness and the whispers, the promise of a dangerous partnership is officially sealed: power, money, and revenge are now in the hands of both of them.

Amber froze in her car seat as her sharp eyes caught Rui's back, which had just been pressed against Zero's. Her breath hitched, her heart felt like it was being pulled apart. A glimpse of Zero's face—calm, content—then Rui's cold smile, all of it like a knife slowly plunging into Amber's chest.

“Damn it,” he whispered harshly, his mouth feeling dry. “I lost the start.”

Anger turned to panic. “It can’t be… this is wrong,” she muttered, her voice filled with despair barely audible over the roar of the engine. In her head, she ran through all the possibilities—how could her sister have registered her marriage to Zero?

Without thinking, she turned the steering wheel hard, the wheels spinning, the tires roaring as she stepped on the gas. “No, I should be the one with him,” she told herself, her voice turning into a loud promise. The car sped away, the taillights melting into the streetlights—Amber was going home, not to give up, but to re-establish a new game.

***

That afternoon, Rui's steps were light as she returned to the mansion, as if nothing could shake her calm after what she'd done with Zero. However, all that shattered as soon as the large door opened. Her eyes widened as she saw suitcases and boxes full of her personal belongings piled up in the living room, as if she'd just been kicked out of her own home.

In the living room, Philo and Dena were already sitting on the sofa. Philo's face was tense, filled with suppressed anger, while Dena just looked down, her eyes glazed over, as if she was holding back something heavy.

“Dad, Mom…” Rui walked over quickly, her voice muffled with panic. “What’s going on? Why are all of Rui’s things out?”

Before he could get any closer, Philo stood up with a sharp look in his eyes.Plaque!A hard slap landed on Rui's cheek, causing him to stagger and fall back onto the sofa. His left cheek burned, his ears rang, and his eyes widened in disbelief.

“Papa…” Dena turned her head, looking away with a helpless face, even though her lips were tightly closed, she didn’t have the courage to defend herself.

Philo's anger exploded. "You're so heartless, Rui! Is it because you're so hurt by Arlo's lies that you'd hurt your own little brother? You're so rude, so cruel—how can you be a good example of an older sister?"

Rui froze, his head turning quickly, staring at his father in confusion. “What… Do you mean?” his voice trembled, his breath caught in his throat. “When did I hurt Amber, Dad? When? I even—”

However, his sentence was cut short. From behind, the sound of heavy footsteps could be heard. Two sturdy bodyguards stood behind him, their faces cold and expressionless. Rui turned around, his chest tightening, a bad feeling creeping into his heart.

Philo took a step forward, roughly snatching Rui's bag from her grasp. His gaze was piercing, full of judgment, leaving no room for explanation. "Send him to Switzerland. Let his grandfather educate him; that might be the only way," he said coldly.

“Pa… don’t!” Rui struggled, his voice filled with despair. But no one heard. The guards had already moved swiftly, grabbing his arms, dragging him mercilessly.

Her hands were outstretched, her eyes staring at her mother with hope. “Mom… say something! Don’t let them take me away!”

But Dena just lowered her head, her fingers squeezing the hem of her dress, tears falling without a word.

The mansion door slammed shut behind Rui. His screams were suppressed, echoing down the long corridor before finally disappearing with the footsteps of the guards who dragged him towards the airport car.

That day, Rui's world fell apart again—betrayed by her family, branded guilty for something she didn't do, and now thrown away from her own home.