Masked Bride

"Move, girl."

The wine tray jolted in her hands. A camera flash popped. Glass cracked as a flute fell to the floor, splashing red liquid like blood against the marble.

Mei Yuyan froze.

And so did the man she'd crashed into.

He didn't yell or shove.

He just... stared at her.

The room seemed to pulse around them. Quiet, luxurious, suffocating.

He was tall, dressed in a sharply tailored black suit, and his presence made the room tilt slightly off balance. Liang Junhao. She didn't recognize him immediately. But everyone else did.

Then someone snapped the photo.

A moment frozen in time, her blouse stained, her lips parted, his hand loosely bracing her arm like he was catching her mid-fall.

The perfect scandal.

It had started with a favor.

She didn't even want to be at the charity auction. But her friend Lili was working wait staff and begged her to fill in when one of the girls called out sick.

Yuyan needed the extra money.

Her grandmother's meds weren't cheap, and the last hospital bill had taken half her savings.

So, she borrowed a white blouse, tied her hair back, and promised to keep her head down.

She did.

Until now.

"She spilled wine on Mr. Liang."

"Did she just... fall on him?"

"She's not even staff. I've never seen her before."

"Is this some gold-digger stunt?"

People started whispering, the whispers swelled louder than the music.

Yuyan swallowed the burn in her throat. "I'm so sorry, sir," she said quickly, stepping back.

Junhao didn't answer right away.

His eyes were unreadable, calm, cold and calculating.

Then, finally..."You're bleeding."

She blinked.

A shard of glass had sliced her palm.

"Oh." She winced. "It's nothing."

"Security," someone barked.

Before she could turn, two security guards were already approaching.

Yuyan blinked as two men in black suits stepped forward.

Wait...what?

"I didn't do anything," she said quickly, backing up.

Someone murmured, "Isn't she that art student from the community studio?"