Cisco surveyed the bustling street, a bitter laugh welling up in her heart.

She had been under the impression that after seven years of being together, no matter how intense their quarrels might get,

Allen would always come after her, eager to placate her. But now, it seemed that all those expectations were nothing but a cruel joke.

A new notification popped up on Facebook.

Cisco unlocked her phone, her eyes dimming as she let out a couple of self - deprecating chuckles.

It was a post from Lily.

The title read: Thank you, Allen, for bringing me to Malaysia!

Beneath it were several pictures. Lily was sporting a three - piece bikini, tossing her hair casually.

Against the backdrop of the clear blue sky and fluffy white clouds, she indeed looked stunning, the kind of image that could easily attract a like.

However, all of this was contingent on overlooking the man beside her, beaming with a wide smile.

While she was seething with anger, her boyfriend was off with his childhood friend!

Cisco's heart turned icy. She reached out to turn off her phone, yet the restlessness within her refused to subside.

"Redang Island, Tioman Island..."

"Beauty, fancy a trip to a gorgeous island? How about some diving? I can take you anywhere your heart desires. It's not $399; it's just $99."

At the sound of the shout, Cisco turned her head.

She saw a young man in an ordinary white T - shirt. He was trying to attract customers in Chinese, and he seemed to be Chinese himself.

Unfortunately, most of the passers - by were Europeans and Americans, showing no signs of understanding his words.

So, no matter how vigorously he called out, his business remained sluggish.

Determined to shake off the gloom in her heart, Cisco resolved to make the most of this vacation.

Well, she might as well max out that idiot Allen's credit card.

When they were dating, Allen had given her a credit card. But Cisco, never one to be comfortable spending someone else's money, had carefully put it away and never used it even once.

She had originally intended to have an in - depth discussion about their marriage during this trip, but now it seemed rather pointless.

This arrogant fool was better left to someone as two - faced as Lily!

"Is there a quieter island? I'm willing to pay double."

Cisco walked up to the young man. Her Chinese was fluent, and her tone was gentle.

The young man was taken aback for a moment, and then his face flushed slightly.

He scratched the back of his head. "Hey, after all that shouting, someone finally showed up."

"Miss, are you Chinese too?"

Cisco shook her head. She only had one - third Chinese heritage.

"Oh, I see." The young man's eyes dimmed noticeably.

When struggling in a foreign land, nothing was more exciting than encountering a fellow countryman.

Sensing the other person's disappointment, Cisco felt a twinge of pity.

"If you don't mind, you can still consider me as Chinese. After all, I'm proficient in Chinese."

Although Cisco's family wasn't wealthy, she was an excellent student.

In college, she had chosen the challenging foreign - language major.

She not only delved into German, French, and other languages but also dedicated a lot of her spare time to learning Chinese.

This was precisely why she had been able to join the company owned by Allen's aunt after graduation and become a highly capable secretary.

People assumed she got the job because of her boyfriend.

Little did they know that she had never disclosed her relationship with Allen at work and had aced the interview entirely on her own.

However, Allen's aunt had harbored a strong prejudice against her and frequently made things difficult for her at work.

But Cisco wasn't one to give up easily.

With her meticulous approach, she managed to complete every task flawlessly.

Only then did his aunt ease up and even, on rare occasions, give Cisco some gifts.

But all of this was no longer of any consequence to her.

Looking back, she realized she had been blind to have been with this idle man who relied on his family.

 Only Lily would think he was a treasure.

Her thoughts wandered, and then she heard an excited voice from the other side.

"That's great. My name is Lin Du. You can just call me Lin."

Lin's eyes lit up instantly. He took an immediate liking to this gentle and beautiful girl.

"You don't have to pay double. Since you're my first customer today, I'll give you a discount."

"Just $90, and I can take you anywhere you want."

"Anywhere?"

"Absolutely."

Cisco pursed her lips and smiled, her eyes curving into crescents. Lin Du was almost mesmerized.

"I'd like to go to a quiet island to unwind. Do you have any suggestions?"

"A quiet island? That's not so easy to come by." Lin Du stroked his chin.

He explained, "Christmas is just around the corner. Right now, almost every island is swarming with tourists."

"Ah, that's true."

The thought of the crowded masses made Cisco sigh in resignation, and a look of disappointment flitted across her face.

Seeing the beautiful girl's melancholy expression,

Lin Du felt as if his heart had been struck by a boulder.

His mind raced as he quickly tried to come up with a solution. "Actually... actually, there's a place. Eight hundred meters to the east, there's an island."

"However, that island is uninhabited and undeveloped. It's pretty wild, and there aren't likely to be many facilities."

Cisco, who had been looking down, lifted her head again, her eyes sparkling like stars. Compared to the noisy crowds, she much preferred the tranquility of being alone.

"That sounds perfect, Lin. Thank you so much."

After expressing her gratitude, Lin Du led her to his speedboat.

The temperature in Malaysia was rather high, and the UV rays were intense.

Cisco retrieved a hat from her handbag and placed it on her head.

Looking up, the sky was a vast expanse of blue, devoid of any clouds.

The sea water churned behind them as the speedboat sliced through the waves, and the sea breeze caressed her face, bringing a refreshing coolness.

Looking down, she could see fish swimming by from time to time, frolicking and playing, exuding a sense of freedom and joy.

"We're almost there. The island is right ahead."

Lin Du held the steering wheel with his left hand and pointed forward with his right.

The outline of the island grew larger as the speedboat approached.

At first glance, the island was covered in a thick blanket of greenery, teeming with life.

The chirping of birds could be heard from time to time, adding to its natural and primitive charm.

The speedboat began to slow down as it neared the shore.

"Wow, the environment here is amazing, Lin. I've transferred the money to you. I'm going to explore on my own for a while."

"Sure, I'll be right here waiting for you."

Cisco set off on foot into the island, completely unaware that in an abandoned warehouse not far away, the atmosphere was tense.

Orson and his men followed Bin into the abandoned warehouse.

This island was so small that no investor had any interest in purchasing it for development.

It had been left neglected and was certainly not part of any tourist itinerary.

The facilities there were in a state of disrepair, and it might not even show up on satellite maps.

A cold smile played on Orson's lips, appearing and disappearing.

As soon as they reached the entrance, a burst of flirtatious laughter, intermingled with men's swear words, wafted out, causing Orson to frown.

"Orson, long time no see."

As he stepped into the center of the warehouse, he saw Lauren, sporting a prominent beer belly, sitting on a sofa. A fat hand held a cigar, and wisps of smoke curled upwards.

Lauren took an occasional puff, looking thoroughly at ease. In his arms was a woman in a deep - V suspender top and extremely short hot pants, doing her best to please him.

Out of the corner of his eye, Orson caught sight of shadows moving in the corner of the first floor of the warehouse.

On the second floor, there were numerous sentries, all armed with high - powered submachine guns, patrolling back and forth.

His gaze landed on Lauren. "I'm curious as to why Uncle Lauren has come in person this time. This deal must be of great significance to you, right?"

He nonchalantly lit a cigarette, masking the darkness in his eyes.