The Domineering Older Man Snatches His Cold And Aloof Wife - Chapter 1

The night in Lu City was alive with a dazzling display of neon lights and wine fueled indulgence. Tonight, the grand and luxurious Tiansheng Hotel had been fully booked out for a private event.

Sitting at the head table, Liu Yu looked down upon the bustling crowd below.

She wore a simple black suit paired with a matching thin, high-collared sweater, sitting quietly in her seat. From time to time, people would approach her to offer a toast, but she would only reply with a faint smile, “My stomach isn’t doing well today, so I won’t be drinking. Please, feel free.”

Despite Liu Yu not even reaching out to touch her glass, the guests would always leave in high spirits, feeling thoroughly delighted just to have spoken with her.

The grand hall was brilliantly illuminated. Everyone was mingling, networking, negotiating business deals, and discussing new projects.

A smile played on Liu Yu’s lips, yet there was very little warmth in her eyes. Her presence here tonight was merely to show face for the host of the banquet, it was nothing more than a mutual courtesy between elites.

As Liu Yu’s gaze occasionally swept across the dozens of banquet tables below, a certain figure suddenly caught her eye. That person was like a vibrant splash of color in the middle of this noisy, chaotic gathering, possessing the unique aura of a gentle, mature wife, yet simultaneously carrying a cold, detached air of aloofness, even when she smiled.

Liu Yu narrowed her eyes, studying her silhouette intently. The woman wore a long gown with a crisscross halter neckline. Black rhinestones were embedded along the collar, framing her collarbones and neck into a striking cross shape. It perfectly accentuated her flawless, sultry shoulder line. Under the glowing lights, the hollow of her collarbone held an understated, captivating allure, brimming with an intense sexual tension.

That sense of sensuality and magnetism peaked the exact moment she turned around. With the fluid, sweeping motion of her gown and her mesmerizingly graceful silhouette, a sudden dryness hit the back of Liu Yu’s throat. She swallowed softly, picking up her water glass to take a sip and mask her reaction.

Yet, her eyes instinctively drifted downward, locking onto that slender, supple waist. The dress clung flawlessly to the woman’s curves, revealing the most enchanting waistline imaginable.

The tailored mermaid silhouette of the skirt flared out slightly like gentle waves. With every step she took, she moved with the ethereal, captivating grace of a mermaid, accentuating her perfect figure to absolute perfection.

Liu Yu, who originally intended to leave after sitting for just a short while, suddenly changed her mind. She narrowed her eyes, deciding to stay right where she was and wait for the beauty to come up and offer a toast.

While making her rounds to toast the guests, Lou Qingshuang could constantly feel a commanding, overbearing gaze locked onto her. It was entirely different from the looks she received from others, this gaze carried a deep sense of possessiveness and a subtle, underlying trace of raw desire. Lou Qingshuang frowned in annoyance. Feigning a toast, she used her peripheral vision to glance toward the source, only to catch sight of someone who sent a jolt of panic through her heart.

How could it be her!

Lou Qingshuang’s eyelashes fluttered anxiously for a moment. This person wasn’t someone who could be easily brushed off like the others.

Her business partner gently tugged at Lou Qingshuang’s hand, signaling her to move on and toast the next potential client.

Liu Yu sipped her warm water from time to time, her eyes drifting back to the woman every now and then. She waited at her table for a long while before the beauty finally made her way up to the elevated platform where the head tables were located. There were four tables arranged here, all reserved for individuals of immense power and status.

Lou Qingshuang walked up alongside her partner. Her eyes were bright and glassy, looking a little tipsy.

They had drunk quite a bit of alcohol to expand their business network. After taking a sip of the mineral water handed to her by her assistant, Lou Qingshuang put on a flawless smile and headed toward the head table.

Lou Qingshuang and her partner approached the primary table first to toast this circle of influential business tycoons.

By the time she arrived, her face was already flushed crimson from the alcohol, and her gaze was slightly dazed. Many people in the room were openly or discreetly admiring her, but Liu Yu was not among those who merely watched from afar.

Liu Yu sat in her seat, waiting for Lou Qingshuang to offer her toast. Although Lou Qingshuang had drunk a lot, her mind remained sharp. She intentionally leaned forward, taking a few steps closer. Her delicate, enticing rosy lips parted slightly, “Chairman Liu, I respect…”

Before Lou Qingshuang could finish her sentence, her heel caught on a stray wine cork. Her body pitched forward, and she fell directly into Liu Yu, spilling red wine all over Liu Yu’s suit.

Liu Yu reached out and caught her, instantly erasing the polite distance that had stood between them. Lou Qingshuang was pressed tight against Liu Yu’s arm.

In that inadvertent closeness, Liu Yu caught the alluring, sweet scent of roses. Her nose twitched slightly as her eyes narrowed. She lowered her head, leaning in close to Lou Qingshuang’s ear, and whispered softly, “Your pheromones are leaking. You should go put on a new suppressor patch.”

Lou Qingshuang looked up at her in sheer astonishment. She had taken a blocking injection, so it should have been impossible for her pheromones to leak. Besides, she had a fiancée; a engagement ring was clearly visible on her finger.

Concealed from everyone’s view, Liu Yu’s fingertips slipped a room card into Lou Qingshuang’s small handbag. A warm yet profoundly deep smile graced her face as she looked at her with a meaningful gaze. “I look forward to our collaboration.” With that, Liu Yu released her grip. The entire interaction happened so quickly that no one gave it a second thought.

Looking at the departing figure who had walked away without giving her a chance to apologize or say thank you, Lou Qingshuang felt an unsettling, strange discomfort settle in her chest.

Meanwhile, Liu Yu had already left the venue, flanked by her bodyguards and assistants.

Lou Qingshuang forced the smile back onto her face, continuing to exchange pleasantries with the remaining guests while introducing her company’s services.

It wasn’t until the banquet was drawing to a close that Lou Qingshuang and her partner finally left the hotel.

Both women sank exhaustedly into the back seat of the car, waiting for the driver to take them home.

“Qingshuang, what did Chairman Liu say to you earlier?” Her university classmate and current business partner, Bai Wan, looked at her curiously.

Lou Qingshuang rested her hand against the car window, looking utterly drained. She replied listlessly, “Nothing much. She just told me to be careful and said she looks forward to working with us,” she answered, mixing truth with a bit of fabrication.

“Really? Even if Chairman Liu just lets a tiny bit of business leak through her fingers, it would be more than enough to make our small company prosper,” Bai Wan exclaimed in awe.

“Yeah,” Lou Qingshuang responded half-heartedly.

Looking out at the city lights flashing past the window, Lou Qingshuang had no intention of making this matter public, it would only bring her endless trouble. Moreover, Shen Yue was waiting for her at home. At the thought of Shen Yue, a genuine smile finally surfaced on Lou Qingshuang’s face.

Shen Yue was her university classmate, and the two had been together for two years, though they spent more time apart than together due to their careers.

Shen Yue didn’t live in Lu City, she worked in the capital, only having the chance to return and visit her occasionally.

However, thinking about how Shen Yue always wanted to take things a step further before marriage brought a wave of worry to Lou Qingshuang. She wasn’t particularly enthusiastic about intimacy, but fortunately, her mother was home today.

Liu Yu stood before a floor to ceiling window, looking down from dozens of stories high as the vehicles below flowed like tiny ants.

She didn’t turn on the lights, the neon glow from outside the window provided more than enough illumination.

Liu Yu had waited in the hotel for four hours, but Lou Qingshuang never showed up. A cool, detached smile formed on her face, a trace of amusement flickering in the depths of her eyes.

Having returned home, Lou Qingshuang shared a warm embrace and chatted with her fiancée, never once opening her small evening bag.

Looking at her fiancée, the desire in Shen Yue’s heart began to stir, yet she forced herself to restrain it. The most delicious delicacies were always best saved for the very end.

Her gaze burned with a deep sense of possessiveness. Lou Qingshuang raised a hand to cover Shen Yue’s eyes, saying softly, “Go to sleep early. I need to go check on Mom.”

“Alright then.” Shen Yue took her hand, pressing a gentle kiss to her knuckles before reluctantly letting her fiancée go to tend to her mother.

Lou Qingshuang breathed a sigh of relief in her heart. She was exhausted today and had no energy to appease anyone. Thankfully, Shen Yue would be leaving early tomorrow morning.

She and Shen Yue had been dating since university. Throughout their relationship, Shen Yue had always respected her, knowing how cautious she was regarding intimacy and that she only intended to take that final step after marriage.

By midnight, the complete dossier on Lou Qingshuang had been delivered to Liu Yu. She flipped through the pages one by one, her eyes finally pausing on the section indicating that Lou Qingshuang had a fiancée whom she had been deeply in love with for several years.

Liu Yu narrowed her eyes at the photograph of the woman smiling brightly, radiating sweet happiness beside another person.

Her fingertip traced lightly over the photograph, producing a soft, rustling sound against the paper.

The next day, after seeing Shen Yue off, Lou Qingshuang returned home and opened her evening bag from the night before to tidy it up. From inside, she pulled out a room card that did not belong to her.

Lou Qingshuang’s breath hitched the moment she saw it. Her fingers gripped the card tightly, the only person who could have possibly slipped this into her bag was that woman.

She pursed her lips, her brow furrowing deeply as she stared at the understated black card. It was a room key for the Morgan Tower, a hotel known for its extraordinarily strict privacy protection, where ordinary people couldn’t even dream of booking a room.

Lou Qingshuang bit her lower lip gently, her eyes flashing with a mix of helplessness and disgust. Yet even with such an expression, she looked strikingly beautiful. Her thin lips were lightly bitten, and her alluring, fox like eyes held a captivating charm.

Ultimately, Lou Qingshuang tossed the card straight into the trash can, deciding to pretend she knew nothing about it.

She would just have to minimize going out and interacting with others. Besides, that woman occupied a position high above everyone else, why would she waste time dwelling on an insignificant person like her? Furthermore, her actual job rarely required much socializing to begin with.

Lou Qingshuang was a research and technical professional, responsible for the core formulations of their beauty and cosmetics company. Normally, she didn’t need to attend social events. It was only because they needed to expand their business operations this time, and certain core technologies could only be explained clearly by her.

I just hope our paths never cross again, Lou Qingshuang silently prayed.

Unfortunately, her wish was bound to be shattered very soon.

Having failed to see the beauty show up, Liu Yu felt an lingering emptiness in her heart. Her mind whirled, and a plan quickly formed. When Lu City hosted the upcoming Cosmetics Grand Grand Prix, Lou Qingshuang would inevitably have to make an appearance.

Countless major corporations would be participating in this competition, and even more merchants would be coming to observe and purchase products. It was the prime opportunity to build a reputation within the industry.

The cosmetics company under Liu Yu’s corporate umbrella happened to be the organizer of this event. She would be attending as a specially invited guest, though her name was deliberately kept hidden from the public roster.

As the technical head of a participating company, Lou Qingshuang was required to handle the product presentations. Thus, their paths were destined to cross once more.

To catch another glimpse of the beauty, Liu Yu didn’t mind killing three birds with one stone.

As a new startup in the cosmetics industry, Lou Qingshuang and Bai Wan were heavily promoting their flagship skincare product, the Essence of Water.

The venue for the preliminary rounds was bustling with noise and excitement. Large crowds of visitors and distributors from all over the region had arrived.

Being an exceptional beauty, Lou Qingshuang naturally drew the attention of many young women. Among the crowd gathered around her were Omegas, Betas, and even quite a few Alphas, all listening intently as she explained the unique advantages and strengths of her product.

“Our Essence of Water is perfectly suitable even for those with highly sensitive skin types…”

Liu Yu stood on the second-floor balcony, observing her from above. The woman’s silhouette was graceful, her demeanor poised and unhurried.

“Chairman, would you like me to invite her up for a cup of tea?” her assistant inquired perceptively.

“It’s not time yet.” A faint smile graced Liu Yu’s face. This was only the beginning, the other party hadn’t invested enough into the event yet. She would wait until they had poured in a substantial amount of effort before extending an invitation. By then, for the sake of her company and her product, the beauty would have no choice but to grace her with her presence.

Seeing that everything was progressing exactly according to her design, Liu Yu turned and left. She wanted to watch the rabbit step into the trap piece by piece, only then would it be truly entertaining.

Her assistant stood respectfully to the side, fully grasping her meaning.

While the chairman could have easily used the most direct, heavy-handed methods to get what she wanted, she chose instead to adopt the playful posture of a hunter toyed with its prey. Perhaps this was simply the unique quirk of the wealthy elite.

Lou Qingshuang had a fiancée whom she loved dearly. If external pressure was applied incorrectly, it would only cause the two of them to cling closer together, and Liu Yu despised seeing them display their affection.

She wanted Lou Qingshuang to become her lover willingly.

As Lou Qingshuang was delivering her presentation, a sudden chill suddenly crept up her spine, as if she were being intently watched by a predatory hound.

While speaking, she cast her gaze around the room to locate the source of that malicious stare, but she found nothing.

Her close friend, Bai Wan, noticed her momentary distraction. “What’s wrong?” Bai Wan stepped over, holding a tube of hand cream, and asked in a low voice.

“I feel like someone is staring at me.” Lou Qingshuang was incredibly sensitive to ill-intentioned gazes.

Bai Wan looked around the crowded space, it seemed as though practically everyone’s eyes were fixed on Lou Qingshuang.

“Go take a break inside, I’ll take over the presentation,” Bai Wan said, waving her hand to send Lou Qingshuang into the back room to rest.

The moment Lou Qingshuang stepped behind the partition, that piercing gaze vanished entirely. She let out a long breath of relief.

It had been a very long time since she had experienced a gaze so intense and full of underlying malice.

Unbeknownst to her anxious state, Liu Yu had already left the venue.

She had already instructed her subordinates to ensure the absolute fairness of the competition. Passing the first few rounds wouldn’t be an issue for Lou Qingshuang’s company.

As for what would happen in the later stages… that remained to be seen.