The wine glass clinked gently against polished marble.
In a high-rise suite overlooking the neon sprawl of the city, Gu Yuxi—actress, model, brand ambassador, and newly-minted Creative Director at NovaLine Media—watched Jiang Yue's interview replay for the fourth time.
"…that fall taught me how to stand."
Her nails tapped rhythmically against the glass.
"It's her," she muttered.
"The voice. The silhouette. The scars."
The assistant standing behind her shifted nervously.
"Should we investigate, Miss Gu?"
Yuxi's lips curved into something that wasn't quite a smile.
"No. We'll invite her."
At SkyInk, Zeyan was unusually silent.
He didn't react as Jiang Yue buzzed about the upcoming dubbing session for their next short film. He barely glanced up when she offered to do coffee runs.
But when she left the room, he opened a file the system had quietly placed in his inbox.
[Flagged Entity: Gu Yuxi]
Former Spouse Traitor | Original Timeline
Primary Cause of Business Collapse
Risk Profile: High
Manipulation History: Confirmed
Current Position: Executive, NovaLine Media
Interest in FL: Monitored.
Suggested Action: Do not engage directly.
Alternative: Use FL's rise to reclaim influence via Public Market.
Zeyan leaned back, eyes narrowed.
So she was still here. Still powerful.
Still poisonous.
But this time, he wouldn't play defense.
That night, Jiang Yue received an email marked:
[CONFIDENTIAL INVITE – NovaLine Media]
"We were captivated by your performance and believe your voice carries the sincerity today's industry lacks. We'd like to invite you to audition for an upcoming cross-media production:
'Glass Winter' – A drama-adapted animated feature with live-action tie-ins. Lead role consideration included.
Gu Yuxi, Creative Director, NovaLine"
Jiang Yue's eyes widened.
She hadn't even gone public with her face.
And yet… they were offering her a lead?
[System Alert: High-Stakes Opportunity Detected]
Project: Glass Winter (NovaLine Media)
Estimated Reach: 12.4 million projected audience
Potential PP Boost: +0.011–0.018
Risk: Strategic Talent Appropriation Detected
System Suggestion: Proceed with caution or use as leverage
She forwarded the email to Zeyan.
Ten minutes later, her phone buzzed.
Zeyan: "You're not going. Not yet."
Jiang Yue: "It's a huge opportunity."
Zeyan: "It's bait."
Jiang Yue: "…You know her?"
A long pause.
Then—
Zeyan: "In another life, she killed me."
Jiang Yue stared at the message.
She didn't know whether to laugh, cry, or press further. But something inside her told her to wait.
He wasn't lying.
There was no edge of drama in those words.
Just memory.
Cold and sharp like glass in the heart.
Zeyan called her an hour later.
His voice was calm. Low.
"Don't meet her. I'll get you a better offer. One where you're not a pawn."
Jiang Yue's response was quiet, but firm.
"…Okay."
[System Update: FL Loyalty Bond Strengthened – Passive Bonus +0.004 Confidence Retention Rate]
New Opportunity Unlocked: SkyInk Original Audio Drama – "Riverlight"
Role: Lead
Genre: Modern Romance + Mystery
Cost to Launch: 2.8 BP
ROI Estimate: 5.4x over 2 weeks
Zeyan greenlit it instantly.
Meanwhile, Gu Yuxi received a short reply from Jiang Yue's anonymous account.
"Thank you for the invitation. Unfortunately, I'm currently engaged with another project. I look forward to future opportunities."
Yuxi tilted her head.
"So cautious. He's protecting her already. Tch."
But she wasn't done yet.
She tapped her assistant's tablet and opened her social strategy files.
"Let's see what happens when we turn the spotlight up. Get three influencers to speculate on her identity. Say she might be my protégé. Let the public imagine a connection."
"Should we tag her?"
Yuxi's smile deepened.
"Don't tag. Let her followers do the work."
[System Alert: Speculative PR Storm Detected – "Jiang Yue: Gu Yuxi's Secret Protégé?"]
Public Sentiment Shift: +1.4% Curiosity
Negative Sentiment Spike (Minor): 0.2% Jealousy/Disbelief
Recommendation: Launch Clarifying Soft Reveal via FL's Own Platform (Controlled) or Stay Silent.
Zeyan stared at the metrics.
Gu Yuxi was trying to paint Jiang Yue as a discovery—an extension of her brand. Not a rival. Not a threat.
A project.
"Like hell," he muttered.
He messaged Jiang Yue again.
"New script coming. You'll record next week. Full lead credit. And I'll personally direct your session."
She replied with a heart emoji.
He paused, stared at it, and then typed slowly:
"You've earned this. Don't let her make you doubt it."