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The next morning, the sun rose above the towering skyscrapers of the city, casting a golden hue across the glass walls of the Liang Conglomerate building.
Lin Yue stood at the entrance, her eyes tracing the curves of the familiar logo emblazoned in silver at the top.
She was in a soft blue dress that reached just below her knees, its delicate fabric swaying gently as she walked.
A white ribbon was tied around her waist, accentuating her slender figure, and her dark hair was styled in twin ponytails, making her look youthful yet strikingly graceful.
A few employees paused in their tracks as she walked past, murmuring softly among themselves.
"Who's that?"
"Is she a new employee? She's so pretty..."
"Does our company have such a beautiful employee?"
"I've never seen her. Which department is she from?"
She ignored the murmurs and walked toward the elevator, her heels clicking softly on the marble floor.
Just as her finger reached for the elevator button, a low murmur rippled through the lobby.
"Good morning, CEO."
"Good morning, President."
Her eyes widened slightly, and her body froze.
That voice—the deep timbre, cool and commanding—echoed behind her.
"Is everything ready?"
She turned, and her breath caught in her throat.
Liang Yexuan.
He was dressed in a perfectly tailored dark grey suit, sharp and elegant. His jet-black hair was slicked back, revealing the cold, angular beauty of his features.
Even in a crowd, he stood out like a monarch among men.
Her heart skipped a beat when she saw him walk in, followed closely by Jin Shu.
For a moment, the air around her froze.
Her Ah Yan…
He looked so outstanding.
Cold.
Distant.
Powerful.
Her eyes locked on him, unwilling to look away.
But without even glancing in her direction, Liang Yexuan spoke to Jin Shu, "Tell the project team to prepare for the meeting. A government official is coming."
He walked right past her.
Lin Yue's hand slowly curled into a fist as a bitter smile touched her lips.
Of course… to him, she was just an ordinary employee now. Just one of many.
Jin Shu pressed the button for the CEO's private elevator.
Liang Yexuan stepped in, his tall figure disappearing behind the reflective metal doors without even a glance in her direction.
Lin Yue remained silent, swallowing down the dull ache in her chest.
—
She entered the general elevator and gently touched the star-shaped pendant hanging from her neck.
It was tiny and silver, shaped like a star, and resting lightly against her collarbone.
He had bought it for her.
Along with a dress—just before he disappeared.
She had worn it every single day since then. Never taking it off.
---
The elevator doors opened with a soft ding. She walked out, smiling politely at a few passing colleagues, before reaching her desk.
Du Liyao was already there, sipping from a paper coffee cup with a mischievous grin.
"Morning!" Du Liyao chirped brightly as Lin Yue placed her bag on the desk.
"Good morning," Lin Yue replied with a smile.
Du Liyao leaned in, her eyes narrowing playfully. "Did you prepare the materials for the meeting?"
"Yes. All sorted," Lin Yue said, adjusting her files.
Du Liyao gave her a once-over.
She then leaned closer, eyes dropping to her abdomen.
"But seriously, are you really pregnant?" she asked, tilting her head. "You don't look it. I mean, my sister turned into a dumpling by her second month. She ate like ten bowls a day!"
Lin Yue's cheeks flushed as several colleagues turned to glance curiously.
"Stop it," Lin Yue muttered.
She blushed, glancing around to see several colleagues looking in their direction.
A burst of laughter spread among the nearby desks.
Du Liyao looked at her from head to toe. "Your body isn't even plump! And you eat like a bird! When my sister was pregnant, she ate like a bear..."
"Stop it," Lin Yue whispered covering Du Liyao's mouth making the office burst into another laughter.
One of the younger female colleagues, Wen Ximei, leaned closer and asked curiously, "Who's your husband, Lin Yue? Is he handsome? We would like to meet him."
Lin Yue's smile faltered. The sparkle in her eyes dimmed a little.
Wen Ximei quickly caught on and waved her hands. "Ah! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry—!"
"It's okay," Lin Yue said, forcing a soft smile. " I'm... not with him right now. It's complicated."
Wen Ximei nodded sympathetically. "Sometimes it's better that way. My cousin's a single mom, and she's doing great. You'll do great too. Being a single mom is strong and brave. You don't need a man to define you."
Lin Yue nodded silently, but her heart felt heavier.
Will I really raise this child on my own?
Her hand instinctively went to her belly.
Is this the kind of future you'll have, little one? Without your father…?
—
Before her thoughts could wander further, the floor door swung open and Jin Shu entered, clapping his hands to get everyone's attention.
"Alright, everyone, prepare yourselves. Meeting Room Four in ten minutes," he announced. "A government official is coming, and the CEO wants everything in perfect order. Don't mess up."
The mood in the office instantly shifted.
Everyone stood up, some grabbing laptops, some collecting files, their faces becoming serious.
A few colleagues gathered around Lin Yue, offering nervous encouragement.
"Good luck, Lin Yue!"
"You've got this!"
"Be careful, okay? The CEO doesn't tolerate mistakes. If you mess up even a little, he'll scold you in front of everyone."
Lin Yue nodded, her face composed as she pulled out her flash drive and files from her bag.
She inserted the drive into her laptop and quickly organized the printed sketches.
She tucked her long ponytails behind her ears, took a deep breath, and carefully placed the printed copies into a neat stack.
Du Liyao placed a hand on her shoulder. "You'll do great."
Lin Yue nodded with a grateful smile.
—
Just as she turned, Zhang Qian stepped out of her nearby office and saw Lin Yue struggling with the stack of printed documents.
"Let me help," Zhang Qian offered warmly.
Lin Yue hesitated, then handed her a stack of the printed documents. "Thank you."
Together, they walked toward the meeting room. The hallway was quiet, almost tense. Lin Yue could feel her heartbeat echoing in her ears.
—
When they entered, most of the team was already seated, sitting upright and stiff like schoolchildren about to face the principal.
At the head of the long oval table sat Liang Yexuan, poised and powerful.
He looked like a monarch overseeing his court—commanding, distant, unreadable.
Lin Yue froze for a second. Just seeing him there made her hands go clammy.
She forced herself to walk steadily, placing the documents down with Zhang Qian's help then sitting beside the team.
Lin Yue followed suit, her legs trembling slightly beneath the table as she sat beside her.
Then, Liang Yexuan raised his head.
His cold gaze swept over the team. For a heartbeat, it lingered on Lin Yue. Her heart clenched.
She could feel his gaze—cold and sharp like a blade—cutting across the room.
Was he looking at her?
She didn't dare check.
Liang Yexuan's voice broke the silence, deep and cold.
"Good morning, allow me to introduce Mr. Nan from the Government Cultural Committee. He and his committee are overseeing this bid and will be evaluating all proposed designs."
Mr. Nan, a middle-aged man with sharp eyes and a dignified posture, nodded politely. "We're looking forward to this presentation."
"Let's begin," Liang Yexuan continued.
Zhang Qian stood up. "Thank you, Mr. Nan. Our team is honored to present this bid. We believe our designs bring a modern yet respectful touch to the cultural heritage of Chunhua."
She paused then continued. "We're ready to present the preliminary concept sketches for the Chunhua Cultural Centre Renovation Bid project. Our team has worked tirelessly on this, and we believe it will meet the cultural and architectural expectations of the committee."
She paused again, gesturing toward Lin Yue.
"Our artist, a new team member, was responsible for the main sketch. She's very talented and recently joined the company. Her name is Lin Yue."
She turned to Lin Yue with a smile.
"Lin Yue, please proceed."
Lin Yue stood slowly, bowing slightly toward the table.
"Good morning. I'm Lin Yue," she said, steadying her voice. "I'll be presenting the sketch concept for the Chunhua Cultural Centre."
She carefully picked up the printed documents and began handing them around the room—starting with Liang Yexuan.
Her hands trembled slightly as she approached Liang Yexuan.
Stay calm, she told herself, placing the paper before him.
He took the pages without a word.
Then she moved to Mr. Nan and his associates, followed by the rest of her team.
Her fingers trembled slightly, but she kept her smile calm.
She returned to her seat and connected her laptop to the projector.
The image of a modern-yet-traditional architectural design appeared on the large screen—sleek lines blended with classical influences, a harmonious merge of past and present.
The room stilled.
Lin Yue opened her mouth to begin the explanation.
But then she froze.
He was staring at her.
Not just casually watching.
Staring.
Her heart stuttered in her chest.
What is it…?
She gripped the edge of the table as her voice caught in her throat as she began her explanation.
"This design aims to... to preserve the original integrity of the structure while embracing..."
And then—
"Your necklace," Liang Yexuan said suddenly.
The room went dead silent.
Every head turned toward her.
Lin Yue blinked, stunned.
What…?
She looked up slowly.
Liang Yexuan's gaze was fixed on the star shaped pendant resting above her heart.
---