The door clicked shut behind Liu Xin, but the echo of Qiao An's presence lingered like a perfume that wouldn't fade.
She walked briskly down the hall, papers clutched tightly in her hands, her heels a sharp rhythm against the floor. It wasn't anger that drove her pace. Nor jealousy.
It was confusion.
And something beneath that—something like unease.
She reached her desk, dropped the folder with more force than necessary, and sat. The hum of the office surrounded her. Phones ringing. Keyboards clacking. Conversations in hushed tones. Everything normal on the surface, but her thoughts spun.
"She's the one you were going to—"
"Yes."
That single word still reverberated in her chest. Wu Jian rarely offered such direct admissions. And now she knew why. Qiao An wasn't just an ex. She wasn't a fling. She had been the one.
The one he'd once trusted.
The one who had left a mark deep enough to make him flinch at white roses.
Liu Xin sighed, rubbing her temples. There was still work to be done. Always work. The gala was less than two weeks away, and every detail needed to be perfect. Maybe that was her saving grace—when her emotions ran too wild, there were logistics to anchor her. She put herself into the work.
Still, her mind betrayed her.
She couldn't forget the way Qiao An had looked at Wu Jian. Calm. Familiar. Possessive, even in her politeness.
And Wu Jian hadn't looked away.
He hadn't looked at Liu Xin either.
Just then, her screen lit up with a message.
> Wu Jian: Come to the rooftop. Ten minutes.
She stared at the message.
The rooftop?
They never met there and what so special he wants to talk there?
She debated ignoring it. Pretending she was too busy. Pretending he didn't matter.
But she already knew she'd go. She took her phone straight to the elevator
---
The rooftop was empty when she stepped out into the bright morning sun. A breeze lifted her hair as she crossed the space, heels silent against the stone.
Wu Jian stood at the edge, back to her, hands resting lightly on the railing.
She approached slowly.
He didn't turn.
"You're not smoking," she said.
"I don't," he replied.
She quirked a brow. "You just seem like someone who would."
A faint smile tugged at his lips. "I used to."
She stopped beside him, leaving a careful gap between them.
"I didn't know the board would send her," he said after a moment. "I wouldn't have let it happen if I did."
"You don't control the board."
"I control more than you think."
Liu Xin studied his profile. The clean lines. The jaw tightened just slightly. "You don't have to explain."
"I do," he said quietly.
A pause stretched between them.
"When we were engaged," he continued, "I thought I'd finally found someone who understood me. She didn't. Not really. She loved the version of me she built in her head. The obedient heir. The polished CEO. She hated the silences. Hated the things I didn't say."
"And now?" Liu Xin asked softly.
"She's back," he said. "And I don't know why. But I can't afford to let her derail everything."
Liu Xin nodded slowly. "So… what does that mean for us? For the gala?"
He finally looked at her. "It means I'll protect what's mine."
Her breath caught.
She hadn't expected that word—mine.
But he didn't elaborate.
Didn't clarify if he meant the company, the gala… or her.
"Wu Jian…" she began, then hesitated. "Is she the reason you stopped believing in love?"
His eyes met hers, darker than usual. "She taught me that love is conditional."
Liu Xin swallowed.
"And what about now?"
"I haven't decided," he said. "But with you… the silence doesn't hurt. That's new."
Her heart stuttered.
He looked away first, like the confession had cost him something.
She took a slow breath. "I'll continue with the gala. Professionally."
He nodded.
"But I won't stand in the middle of whatever this is between you and her."
"There's nothing there," he said sharply.
"She doesn't think so and don't need to explain."
His jaw clenched.
Liu Xin turned to leave. Her fingers brushed the cool steel of the railing.
"Miss Liu."
She paused.
"Thank you for not walking away from the meeting."
She smiled faintly, not turning around. " why would i? That depends on the next one."
And then she walked back into the building, not looking back.
---
Later that afternoon…
Qiao An stood in the breakroom, stirring her tea like she had all the time in the world.
Liu Xin entered to grab a water bottle from the fridge. She hadn't expected anyone there.
Their eyes met.
"I hear you're talented," Qiao An said lightly.
"I hear you're persistent," Liu Xin replied.
Qiao An tilted her head, amused. "I don't plan to cause trouble."
"That's good. We have enough of that already."
There was a pause.
Then Qiao An smiled, this time not so soft. "You like him."
Liu Xin didn't respond.
"You shouldn't," Qiao An continued. "He's complicated. Wounded men always are."
"I'm not here for romance," Liu Xin said coolly. "I'm here for the gala as a professional event planner."
"Keep telling yourself that," Qiao An said, sipping her tea.
And with that, she walked out, heels clicking.
Liu Xin stood still, bottle in hand, pulse louder than it should be.
She mocked her as she leaves "Keep telling yourself that..huh!" She took a sip of water looking at that direction.
---
To Be Continued…