Inferno Hearts | Xu Minghao

58. Painful Confessions

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"Where does he got the audacity to pull such a stunt?" Minghao spat out, closing the distance between him and the others, his hands nonchalantly tucked inside his pockets.

"We're in the dark as well. Our men alerted us," Seungcheol explained. Leaning against the desk, Minghao exuded an aura of control and dominance. He pondered for a few moments before issuing his directive: "If he's looking to strike deals with us, then set up a meeting with that old bastard. Tonight."

"Minghao, are you certain about this?" Jeonghan inquired, a furrow forming on his brow.

"I'm absolutely certain. There's a pressing need for me to engage in a man-to-man conversation with him anyway," Minghao replied with conviction.

"Make it clear that if he wants to purchase weapons from us, he'll have to confront me first. Let's test the mettle of this man," Minghao declared before heading towards the door to take his leave.

"What's about to happen doesn't sit well with me," Woozi trailed off, his concern palpable. Seungcheol heaved a sigh, sharing Woozi's apprehension, "I have a bad feeling about what's coming too."

"Minghao!" Lia's voice rang out as he made his way through the living room, heading upstairs to where Nabi was. She was seated on the sofa, clearly waiting for him.

Minghao couldn't help but release an internal sigh. She was his last problem, and he didn't really care to face her. He paused his approach towards the stairs and redirected his steps toward her, coming to a stop in front of her.

"Aren't you going to sit down?" Lia asked, gracefully gesturing toward the sofa where she was comfortably seated.

"I'm fine," he replied, keeping it simple. "What did you want to talk about?" he asked nonchalantly.

Lia appeared disappointed by his casual demeanor. Rising from the couch, she walked up to him until she was within arm's reach.

"Regarding that night... don't you believe we should have a sincere discussion? We need to address the lingering issues between us," she suggested in a seemingly innocent voice, although Minghao was already aware of her true intentions.

"Lia, what occurred that night was a genuine mistake. I was so intoxicated that even now, I don't recall a single moment of what happened," he responded calmly, displaying no emotional affect.

"I don't believe you. We literally did it the whole night-"

She was abruptly interrupted by Minghao, who sighed in exasperation. "Lia, I have no recollection of it, okay? My mind is a complete blank."

"Minghao..." She trailed off, her hesitation apparent. She had come prepared, knowing that Minghao would react just like this. Her scenario had been meticulously planned from the moment she entered the house.

She moved closer to him, and Minghao sighed in resignation. "Please... I really like you. Don't you like me too?" she said, feigning tears in her eyes.

"Hmm?" Lia began, her voice tinged with a calculated innocence. "You were so deeply in love with me before I left for the States. Don't you remember?" She wore an angelic expression, a guise carefully crafted to manipulate him, her every word calculated to play with his emotions.

Minghao let out a sigh, torn between his memories and the reality in front of him. He remembered the connection they had once shared, but he also knew it was time to dispel this facade.