Meng Nanhao's lip curled in disgust.
"You're a good actress. I'll give you that. You played me perfectly. You let me believe I was smart enough to outplay you. You made me drag my father into this. You made me believe you cared."
"I did care!" she interrupted, her voice breaking.
"I do care, Nanhao! Please believe me. I didn't want any of this to happen. I—I never meant to hurt you."
For a long moment, he didn't speak. Then, with a quiet, measured voice, he said, "Then prove it."
Ou Xiaoxiao froze. "How?"
"Run away with me," he said.
"Tonight. No explanations to your family. No contact. Just leave it all behind. If you want me to believe you weren't part of the plan… if you want me to forgive you… Then come with me."
She gasped softly. "You're serious?"
"I've never been more serious in my life," Nanhao said.
There was a pause—just a second. Then she whispered, "Okay."
"When and where?" she asked, voice shaking.
"Tomorrow night," he replied.
