The engagement was with the younger brother, but I've fallen for the older brother.

He Nanxian's face paled, he clenched his fists, and let out a cold laugh.

"What makes you so sure?"

He Sichen stood up, walked around the desk, and stood in front of him.

The height difference pressed down, casting a shadow over half of He Nanxian's shoulder, and when he looked down at him, there was a natural sense of oppression.

"My relationship with her is definitely not something that can be made public."

"I've given you enough leverage to tell Grandpa three times over."

"But don't forget, the marriage between the He family and the Si family hasn't even had an engagement banquet yet, anything can change."

"Once the video was exposed, the quickest way for both companies to cover up their scandals was to change ownership."

"If I take over the deal and change the name of the marriage."

"At most, she and I might face some societal judgment and criticism, but do you think I'd care?"

"Do you want to use a secretly filmed video to create a situation you can't control, and then be completely eliminated?"

He Sichen casually tossed the question back at him.

He Nanxian clenched his teeth.

He Sichen didn't give him a chance to interrupt and continued to press down.

"If you're trying to pressure me from a business perspective, then it's even more pointless."

"Yu An has experienced even dirtier methods than this before."

"I've been in this position for five years. Do you think I've ever been afraid?"

"I led Yu'an to achieve a 67% profit increase last year, and I was the one who pushed the Lighthouse Project through the national approval process."

"Using this to suppress me is like using a water gun on a tank."

He Nanxian's pupils contracted for a moment.

He really didn't intend to bring the video to the board meeting.

He just wanted to use this card to force He Sichen to back down.

But He Sichen blocked every single path.

He Sichen suddenly took another step forward, leaving only half a meter between him and He Nanxian.

"Moreover, once the video was released, she was the first one to be dragged into the media storm."

"If you truly like her, you wouldn't use her privacy as a bargaining chip. You should understand how much public opinion can drain a girl."

"If you don't like her, bring this video to talk to me. You're dirtier than me."

"So you see, He Nanxian, no matter what you choose, the ending won't go the way you expect."

He Nanxian stood still, his knuckles clenched so tightly they cracked.

He really didn't dare to let it go.

If they are released, every word He Sichen said will come true.

All the things she wanted to say couldn't find an outlet in He Sichen's web of logic.

Like a moth drawn into a spider web, the more it struggles, the tighter it gets.

He couldn't even bear to think about the infamy that would fall on Si Yimian's head.

He dared not even think about what he would do if the old man really changed the marriage agreement to He Sichen.

He Sichen did not stop.

"So you came here tonight just to force me to make a choice with this card."

"But let me tell you, this dud you're holding is utterly useless, except for waking you up in the middle of the night in anger."

"You're threatening me with this video because you know she's gone."

"You have no other bargaining chips, only the secretly filmed footage."

"You don't even dare to confront her directly, so you can only hide here and try to get revenge."

He Nanxian felt a lump in his throat, unable to breathe.

He stared at He Sichen's calm face and suddenly felt absurd.

It felt like a fish being pressed down on a chopping board, its gills still moving but unable to break free.

He chuckled, a slight smirk playing on his lips, tinged with self-deprecation.

"He Sichen, you're so shrewd, aren't you afraid of retribution?"

He Sichen turned around, picked up his glasses from the desk, put them back on his nose, and concealed the weariness in his eyes.

"Haven't I suffered enough retribution already?"

"From the age of ten, I knew I was living in retribution."

"So one more of you won't make a difference."

He Nanxian took half a step forward, blocking his way.

When their eyes met, the aggression in his tone faded.

"Now that things have come to this, how do you plan to resolve this?"

"Continue this relationship under my nose until the three-year period is up?"

He Sichen took half a step back, creating some distance, and slowly and deliberately buttoned up his shirt cuffs.

Whether it's over between her and me or not is not up to me.

He Nanxian's brow twitched: "What did you say?"

"I will stop when she tells me to."

"If she doesn't shout, I'll continue."

"My stance will not change until then."

"This rule is more practical than your marriage contract."

He Nanxian pressed her lips together tightly.

This answer left him speechless even more than "I love her".

"What if she keeps quiet?"

"Then I won't tell."

He Sichen continued, his tone becoming more subdued, as if he were drawing a conclusion to a conversation.

"When will she figure things out? When will she make a decision?"

"I don't need to plan her future; she will go where she wants to go on her own."

He Sichen noticed the subtle change in his expression and his lips twitched slightly.

"He Nanxian, if you were to go to Grandpa now and say that you don't want this engagement anymore and want to break it off, I would think more highly of you."

"At least you did something humane."

He Nanxian loosened his clenched fingers for a moment, then clenched them again.

"What if I don't deal with it?"

He Sichen snorted coldly, clearly not buying it.

"You're occupying the toilet without using it; I don't mind helping you remove it."

"If you keep dragging your feet, I'll do it for you."

"But you might not like the way I do it for you."

"You know what style I use."

He Nanxian recalled the scorched earth plan led by He Sichen and Yan Tingnan a year ago.

If they don't act, they don't act at all; but if they do, they will uproot everything completely, leaving no room for retreat.

He unconsciously clenched his fist, and his knuckles cracked.

He Nanxian: "Are you threatening me?"

"It's a notification."

He Sichen replied crisply, without even pausing.

"Just like when you came to inform me today."

"Take the initiative to resolve this; it's more dignified for everyone."

"If you're forced to play passively, you won't even be able to save a shred of dignity, but I won't give you much time."

He Nanxian remained silent for a long while.

He suddenly loosened his grip and took half a step back.

He lowered his head, a layer of absurd clarity rising in his eyes.

"I'll keep the video, but I won't release it."

"It's not because I'm afraid, it's because you're right. If that information gets out, the one who will hurt the most isn't me, or you, but her."

He paused, a bitter smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"I'm not so bad as to use her reputation as a bargaining chip."

"I won't let this go."

He Nanxian uttered these final words in a deep voice, but without any harshness.

"what ever."

"Keep the video; post it whenever you want."

"If you don't want to post it, just read it as bedtime reading."

He Sichen walked around the desk, picked up his coat from the back of the chair, draped it over his arm, and headed for the door.

"It's getting late. She ordered takeout and will wait for me to get back to eat."

"Do you want to come along?"

He Nanxian stood there, stunned, as if he had been hit by a straight punch.

"What?"

He Sichen's lips curled up slightly, a provocative gesture that suggested he knew the answer but still had to ask.

"Anyway, even if I don't mention it, you'll still go see her tonight."

He Nanxian's blood pressure spiked to the top of his head.

"He Sichen, are you sick in the head?"

He Sichen nodded, as if acknowledging his judgment.

"Maybe."

Then he walked away without looking back.