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Everyone in the room seemed confused, glancing between the CEO and the nervous young woman standing at the front.
But Lin Yue… she could barely breathe.
Her heart screamed one question over and over again.
Does he remember?
Does he remember me…?
Her heart pounded against her ribs as if it were trying to break free. She could feel Liang Yexuan's gaze, sharp and unreadable, piercing right through her.
"Where did you get that necklace?" His cold voice sliced through the air.
Lin Yue blinked slowly, steadying her nerves. Her gaze did not waver as she met his. "From someone important to me."
For a second, the room seemed to pause, but his expression remained unreadable.
Then he gave a curt nod, his voice colder than before. "It looks familiar. Proceed."
Her heart clenched painfully. Was that it? Did he really not remember anything at all?
Lin Yue nodded, swallowing the lump rising in her throat.
She'd dared to hope, even if just a little, that he would remember something—anything.
But the coldness in his eyes crushed that hope. It was like he was a stranger again.
Swallowing her emotions, Lin Yue began her presentation. Her voice wavered slightly at first, but grew stronger with each word.
She walked them through the layout, the theme, and the concept behind her design—a blend of tradition and modern elegance.
She could feel the attention of the room locked on her.
When she finished, there was a moment of silence before Mr. Nan clapped his hands enthusiastically.
"Brilliant!" he exclaimed. "That was amazing, Miss Lin. Truly unique!"
Her teammates joined in, clapping and smiling. Even Zhang Qian nodded with a proud smile on her face.
To her surprise, Liang Yexuan clapped too.
His face however betrayed no emotion. Cold. Polished. Distant.
And somehow, it meant more to her than all the others combined.
"Impressive," Mr. Nan said. "I can see a lot of thought went into this. We'll review the other bids this week, but this is certainly promising."
"Thank you, sir," Zhang Qian responded professionally.
Mr. Nan turned to Liang Yexuan. "President Liang, you truly have vision. You've chosen the right people for the job."
Liang Yexuan nodded coolly and extended his hand. "Let's keep up the good work."
Mr. Nan smiled as they shook hands. "I look forward to seeing the final outcome."
—
With that, Mr. Nan, Liang Yexuan, and Jin Shu left the meeting room. The door closed behind them with a soft click.
The moment they were gone, her team members swarmed her.
"Lin Yue! That was incredible!" one said.
"You really pulled it off," another added.
"That design... so smart and fresh!"
"You really impressed them today."
Zhang Qian stepped forward with a nod. "Good job. I'll send the sketch to Qin Ke so he can review it."
Lin Yue blinked. "Why wasn't he here?"
"No," Zhang Qian said. "He's sick."
"Is he okay?" someone asked.
"Is it serious?" a voice asked.
Zhang Qian nodded. "It's not serious. Just an old problem acting up again. He just needs rest."
Relieved, the team began to disperse, one by one.
Zhang Qian gave Lin Yue a small nod of approval before she too exited the room.
—
When the room finally emptied, she sat down, her muscles aching from all the tension.
The tension she'd been carrying all morning melted away in an instant, leaving behind a bittersweet ache.
She reached for the necklace resting against her chest, her fingers brushing the cool metal.
What did he mean... it looked familiar?
Did he remember something? But she knew it wasn't that easy. She had a long way to go.
Ah Yan, she whispered in her heart. Where did you go? Are you even in there?
Liang Yexuan had the same face. The same eyes. But he felt like a stranger wrapped in the shell of someone she once knew.
She closed her eyes for a moment.
She missed him.
Missed the gentle Ah Yan who wrapped her in warmth. This cold, distant CEO... he looked like Ah Yan, sounded like him. But he wasn't him.
—
She sighed, gathered her things, and left the meeting room.
At her desk, she was just about to sit when someone called out to her.
"Hey, Lin Yue."
She turned. One of her colleagues was smiling curiously.
"We were talking… you look so young! Where did you learn to sketch like that? Like a professional!"
Lin Yue smiled. "I'm preparing for university. I was taught by someone."
The colleague nodded. "Makes sense. No wonder you look so young, but your work is something else."
Lin Yue chuckled lightly, then turned to sit down when the elevator chimed.
The office fell silent.
She turned—and froze.
Laing Yexuan had returned.
He walked through the room, his commanding presence turning heads, with Jin Shu silently at his side.
He stopped right in front of her. Lin Yue slowly looked up at him.
"See me in my office after work."
The words were simple, but they echoed like thunder inside her mind.
Her heart thudded against her ribs. Her legs weakened.
Before she could respond, he walked away, heading toward the CEO's private elevator with Jin Shu behind.
Lin Yue stood frozen, heart pounding. Her colleagues looked at her in surprise.
"What happened?" Ma Zhen asked.
"Don't be scared," Du Liyao added kindly. "Maybe he just wants to ask about your sketch."
But before she could answer, a soft scoff echoed behind her.
"Some people really know how to seduce others with their fox-like faces," a voice said coldly.
Gasps filled. It was the quiet, beautiful girl who rarely spoke as she leaned against a nearby desk, arms crossed.
The venom in her voice was clear.
"Pretending to be pitiful just because she's not living with her husband anymore..."
Lin Yue's expression turned icy. She wasn't a pushover.
"You should watch your words," she said coolly. "There's such a thing as law. I can sue you for defamation."
The girl paled, caught off guard.
Du Liyao stood beside Lin Yue. "Stop talking nonsense. Maybe it's you who's always been eyeing the CEO. Everyone knows you've tried getting his attention."
The girl flushed red. "Don't be ridiculous! The CEO has a fiancée."
Du Liyao smirked. "Exactly. And Lin Yue knows that too. She's not stupid."
Lin Yue felt a mix of emotions. Warmth from Du Liyao's support, but also guilt.
She's right, Lin Yue thought. I know he has a fiancée. So what am I doing? Hoping he remembers? Trying to pull him back into my world?
But then again, her heart longed for the man who once loved her. Was it wrong to want him back?
She sighed. "It's fine, Yaoyao. Don't bother with people like her. Some people need attention more than they need truth."
With that, she turned to her desk. It had only been a week since she joined, and already she was making enemies.
The hour before lunch passed slowly. Lin Yue kept her head down, focusing on the bid file.
When the others left for lunch, she stayed back, unwrapping her home-packed meal.
She sighed, chewing slowly as she flipped through the file. Work helped numb the emotions.
—
Eventually, evening arrived.
One by one, her colleagues packed up and left, wishing her luck with hesitant smiles.
"Don't worry," one whispered. "Maybe it's nothing serious."
"Don't worry, Lin Yue. I'm sure it's not a big deal."
"Yeah, he probably just wants to discuss your sketch." Du Liyao said.
But Lin Yue couldn't help the dread curling in her stomach.
Once everyone had gone, she packed her bag and headed to the elevator.
When she pressed the button for the top floor, her hands felt clammy.
Each second inside felt like an eternity.
What does he want? she wondered. Did I do something wrong?
Or... was it something else?
The elevator chimed, and the doors slid open. She stepped out onto the executive floor, her heart pounding.
It was colder here—quieter. Intimidating.
She walked to the CEO's office and paused at the door.
Her hand hovered for a second.
Breathe.
Knock. Knock.
A pause.
Then came the familiar, emotionless voice. "Enter."
She pushed the door open slowly and stepped inside, closing it behind her.
He was seated at his desk, typing, the blue light of his monitor casting sharp shadows across his face.
His brows were furrowed in deep focus. His shoulders looked tense.
Lin Yue stood for a moment, just watching him.
Was he always this busy?
Was he always this tired?
Her heart ached.
She stepped closer. "CEO Liang..."
He looked up.
Their eyes met.
Her heart tightened.
He stood slowly, pushing the chair back as he walked around the desk toward her.
Every step he took toward her felt like a countdown.
To what?
She didn't know.
But her breath caught.
Her hands clenched.
Her thoughts scattered.
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