Their Mistake, Her Rise - Chapter 395: Chapter 395

As they reached the emergency exit, a delicate hand suddenly shot out and yanked Shawn behind the door. "Nice reflexes, Mr. Ludwig. You actually figured out I was about to sneak away," she teased.
Shawn looked at Zoe with a playful grin and said, "If we hadn't slipped away, how else would we get some time alone?"
Shawn leaned in for a kiss, but Zoe playfully dodged with a smirk, loosening his collar as she did.
But Shawn wasn't about to let Zoe slip away so easily. Catching her off guard, he grabbed her wrist and pinned her against the door, instantly reversing their positions.
Defeated, Zoe leaned lazily against the door, a playful smirk on her lips. "Go ahead, Mr. Ludwig. I'm at your mercy," she purred.
Zoe's playful taunt made Shawn pause, the kiss dying on his lips.
"Pfft! What's wrong? Lost your nerve?" Zoe teased, her eyes glinting with mischief.
Shawn said sternly, "Stop messing around. How do you plan to handle what happened today?"
Zoe shrugged. "What else can I do? Those people are just profit-driven. If I didn't have what they wanted, they wouldn't hound me at all." She paused deliberately. "But—"
Shawn wasn't in any hurry, just fixing her with his steady gaze.
Seeing this standoff was getting them nowhere, Zoe cut straight to the point. "So how are you planning to handle Aileen? She's coming at us hard and clearly means trouble."
With each sentence Zoe said, she playfully poked Shawn in the chest with her finger.
Shawn caught her restless hand and, with a gentle smile, asked, "How do you want me to handle it?"
Zoe crooked her finger playfully, beckoning Shawn to lean in close. He obliged without hesitation.
"Figure it out yourself," Zoe teased, giving Shawn a playful shove before turning and heading down the stairs.
Shawn quickly caught up and said, "This is Merilunia, after all. With my special status, even the slightest misstep could spark an international incident."
Zoe had long anticipated that Shawn would say this. After all, as a soldier, his hands were often tied. Still, she had a gut feeling that Aileen was going to be a real headache.
After leaving the party, the two didn't head straight back to their room. After all, they couldn't waste such a perfect night on something as mundane as sleep.
"Come with me," Shawn said, taking Zoe's hand as he led her out of the Universal Tower. Zoe couldn't help but wonder where exactly he was taking her.
Shawn took the wheel himself and drove them to the clock tower in the city's most exclusive district.
This clock tower stood apart, its weathered facade hinting at decades, maybe even centuries, of history. The main entrance was tightly shut, but for Shawn and Zoe, both expert climbers, that was no challenge at all.
Shawn led Zoe as they scaled the building's exterior up to the rooftop. There, they encountered a massive clock face. Its three hands were moving slowly, the loud, rhythmic ticking filling the night air.
Zoe stood high above the city, gazing into the distance. For a fleeting moment, she felt as if the whole world was at her feet.
Shawn came up beside her and asked, "Ever heard of the legend of the clock tower at twelve o'clock?"
Zoe turned to Shawn and smirked. "Did I hear that right? Is the legendary warrior Shawn actually using those cheesy pickup lines to charm girls?"
Zoe expected Shawn to pull out some corny line about how a midnight kiss would make lovers fall madly in love.
Shawn reached out and gave Zoe a gentle flick on the forehead. "What's with that wild imagination of yours?"
Zoe arched an eyebrow, her tone playful. "Okay, not that. So why did you bring me here?"
Shawn gazed at the brightly lit exclusive district and said in a low voice, "After midnight is when the underworld comes out to play."
Zoe had also heard the rumors. After midnight, certain corners of this exclusive district would see shady deals, such as contraband, poison, and other illicit trades.