---
Liang Yexuan stood quietly in front of her, his tall figure casting a sharp, imposing shadow across the floor.
Lin Yue swallowed the lump in her throat, her voice barely above a whisper.
"CEO..."
His tall frame towered above her, and his eyes locked onto hers with an intensity that made her forget how to breathe.
"Lin Yue," he said suddenly.
She flinched.
He took a step back, then turned and walked towards the white leather sofa at the side of the office.
With one hand in his pocket, he turned back to look at her again.
"You're talented, Miss Lin," he said, his voice calm yet devoid of warmth.
Lin Yue bowed her head slightly. "Thank you, CEO."
But he wasn't done.
He studied her for a moment before continuing, "You're smart too."
She blinked, confused. "What... What do you mean by that, CEO?"
His eyes narrowed. Cold. Penetrating.
"I've done a brief background check on you," he said bluntly. "No university education. No impressive family. But somehow, you managed to get into Liang Conglomerate right when we were seeking a talented artist. Right after your small gallery gained fame."
Her heart sank. Her lips trembled.
"Are you implying—?"
He smirked, but there was no humor in it. "Coincidence?" he asked. "Or strategy?"
Lin Yue stared at him, trying to find traces of her Ah Yan in the man standing before her.
"Do I look like a scheming woman to you, CEO?" she asked, her voice cracking.
He paused.
He studied her face.
Her large, innocent watery eyes tugged at something deep inside him.
But he looked away and steeled himself.
"If you didn't scheme, then explain the coincidences. It's too perfect, Lin Yue. It feels... orchestrated. I know you saved my life, and I'll always be grateful for that. But if you need something, just ask. There's no need for games to stay close to me."
Her heart clenched. The tears that she'd been holding back now threatened to fall.
Was this how he truly saw her?
As a woman who plotted her way into his life?
"Is that really how you see me...?"
Lin Yue felt like she'd been slapped.
"And the necklace," he added suddenly, taking a step forward. "It looked... familiar. Where did you get it?"
She clenched her fists tightly. "I said... from someone important," she replied, voice barely audible.
He gave a cold scoff.
"Important person, huh? I don't know why it feels familiar, but if it's another trick, I warn you..."
"It's not a trick," she interrupted quietly.
Did he really think she'd stoop that low just to be near him? Was this really the man she loved?
Was her Ah Yan really gone?
He straightened his suit and walked back toward his desk. "Focus on your work. I'll speak to your leader about the next steps. We're on a tight schedule. That's all."
She stood frozen in place.
She nodded, her voice lost as he turned away from her.
His fingers moved to the power button of his monitors, switching off one by one.
He glanced at her one last time, expression unreadable. "You may leave."
"Okay, CEO," she murmured.
The door closed behind her with a soft click.
—
Outside, her footsteps echoed through the silent corridors. Her mind was a whirlwind of confusion and pain.
She stepped into the elevator, unable to breathe properly.
The moment she reached the ground floor, the building was already emptying.
A few security guards patrolled the lobby.
Lin Yue walked into the cool night. The sky was darkening fast, the air thick with the promise of rain.
Within seconds, the first droplets began to fall.
She hurried to the nearby bus stop, holding her bag tightly against her chest.
She stood under the shelter, arms wrapped around herself, shivering.
Was this all a mistake?
Was she wrong to try and make him remember?
Maybe her Ah Yan was gone.
—
In the meantime, Liang Yexuan stepped into his black car, his movements elegant.
Jin Shu was in the front passenger seat as usual, and the driver quietly pulled into the main road.
It was raining heavily now, the windshield wipers dancing rhythmically.
As the car passed through a dim street corner, Liang Yexuan caught sight of a familiar figure standing alone at the bus stop, shivering slightly under the shelter.
His eyes narrowed.
The rain blurred his view, but he knew that silhouette.
The same one that appeared in his dreams.
"Stop the car," he ordered suddenly.
The car slowed, but not before they'd already driven a few meters ahead.
"Turn back," he added.
The driver obeyed.
Jin Shu glanced at him through the mirror confused but said nothing.
—
When the car neared, he saw it's Lin Yue standing at the bus stop, drenched, hugging herself.
She looked so small. So fragile.
He sighed.
Maybe he is crazy. How could Lin Yue be the woman in his dream.
—
Back at the bus stop, Lin Yue clutched her bag tighter.
Her shoes were wet.
Her clothes stuck to her skin.
She kept glancing at the corner for the bus, her heart praying it would arrive quickly.
Suddenly, a sleek black car rolled up in front of her.
Lin Yue stared at the car in confusion.
Her heart jumped.
She froze when she realized it's him.
The tinted window rolled down.
"Get in," Liang Yexuan's deep voice ordered.
She looked away, stubbornly. She didn't want his pity.
"Get in before you freeze to death. You think the bus is still coming in this weather?"
She glanced at her watch. Nearly 7 p.m. The rain only seemed to get heavier.
With a sigh, she whispered, "Then I'll have to trouble CEO."
She opened the door and slid inside, careful not to wet the seat.
Her fingers trembled slightly as she clutched her soaked bag on her lap, trying to make herself as small as possible.
The cold air inside made her shiver.
Her teeth chattered lightly from the cold.
Liang Yexuan noticed and gestured to Jin Shu, who quietly adjusted the temperature.
"T-Thank you, CEO," she said softly, unsure of how to act.
He didn't reply immediately. Instead, he reached behind him, grabbing a trenchcoat folded on the seat.
Without a word, he tossed it at her.
"Cover yourself."
She caught it, stunned. It was warm to the touch. It smelled faintly of his cologne. She stared at him, eyes wide.
"I can't... it'll get wet—"
"I said cover yourself."
His voice left no room for argument.
She stared at the coat in her lap.
For a moment, she couldn't move. Her heart was pounding. She looked up at him slowly.
He was staring out the window, as if nothing had happened.
She swallowed back the tears that threatened to fall.
This man... he confused her so much.
He cut her down with his words, yet shielded her from the rain. He called her a schemer but now gave her his coat.
He was cold, distant... yet sometimes, just sometimes, she thought she saw her Ah Yan in there.
Lost.
She slipped on the coat slowly, inhaling his scent. It was warm. Clean. Familiar.
She turned her face to the window, hiding the small tear that finally escaped.
---