Back at my office, the air felt too heavy. The silence, too loud.
I still couldn't stop replaying that stupid interview in my head—what I said, what I didn't say, and the way he looked at me afterward.
What was that look supposed to mean, anyway?
The moment the interviewer asked what I liked about him... Yichen, I panicked. My brain just... malfunctioned.
I could've said something simple. Clichéd. Something safe.
But no. My mouth decided to betray me.
Now, every time I blinked, I could still see Yichen's expression—subtle, unreadable at first, then… softer. Almost pleased.
Was he happy that I said that?
I groaned, pressing my palms against my face. "Get it together, Hua…"
Even if things between us had changed a little lately—less tension, more quiet moments—he was still the same man who said, this marriage is just business.
No feelings. No expectations.
So why did my heart skip a beat whenever he looked at me like that?
Why did I feel uneasy every time his name popped into my thoughts?
It made no sense. None at all.
I was about to drown in overthinking when—
BIP.
The email notification popped on my screen, yanking me out of my spiraling thoughts.
I clicked it automatically, my eyes narrowing at the subject line:
"Changes for the upcoming event – urgent."
Great.
Scrolling through, I skimmed the first few lines:
"Since the event will take place one week before New Year's, we've decided to make several adjustments to the stage layout and decorations…"
I froze. Then frowned.
Adjustments? Now?
"Are you kidding me…" I muttered under my breath.
I opened the attached PDF. Red marks, comments, notes—pages of chaos.
Whoever decided to add a flower arch for an engineering award ceremony must've lost their mind.
"What is this, a wedding?" I said to myself, disbelief dripping from every word.
I scrolled down and saw the name at the bottom of the email.
Of course.
Zhou Yue.
I clenched my jaw.
Of course it had to be her.
That woman had been testing my patience since day one, and this? This was definitely intentional.
"She's trying to be a pain in my—"
My hand slammed the desk before I could finish the sentence, making my coffee tremble in its cup.
Enough.
I stood up, my chair scraping sharply against the floor. My pulse was already racing as I marched straight to Zhou Yue's office.
I didn't even wait for a response after knocking—just pushed the door open and stepped inside.
And that's when I froze.
For a second, my brain couldn't process what I was seeing.
Her hands. On his tie.
Her face was tilted up toward him, way too close. Their proximity felt… intimate.
Like they'd been caught in a moment they weren't supposed to share.
My stomach twisted violently.
They both turned to me at once—wide eyes, startled expressions.
Zhou Yue's lips curved into something that looked suspiciously like a smile.
Yichen's brows furrowed immediately. He stepped back, pulling away from her grip, but it was too late.
Something in me snapped.
Before he could even open his mouth, I turned around and walked out. Fast.
No—ran.
The door stayed open behind me, and my footsteps echoed down the hallway. My hands were shaking. My heart, pounding so hard I thought it might break through my ribs.
Back in my office, I locked the door with trembling fingers and pressed my back against it.
My mind replayed the image over and over.
Her hands on his tie. His face so close to hers.
Too close.
Was I… interrupting something?
No. No, don't be stupid, Hua.
But then—why did it hurt so much?
Was I just an obstacle? A temporary name on a contract while he still entertained his secretary behind closed doors?
I laughed bitterly. "Of course. How could I be so naive?"
I sat at my desk, trying to steady my breathing, but every time I exhaled, the same question haunted me.
Had I fallen straight into his trap?
Had I been foolish enough to believe there was something real behind the way he looked at me?
I couldn't sit there anymore. The walls felt like they were closing in.
I grabbed my bag, shoved my laptop inside, and decided to leave early. I'd just say I was sick—technically true, if heartbreak counted as a sickness.
The hallway outside was empty.
Every sound felt amplified—the clicking of my heels, the hum of the fluorescent lights.
I kept my head down, walking fast.
Then—
"Miss Hua?"
I nearly jumped out of my skin.
It was Zhang Wei, Yichen's assistant. The human embodiment of a thundercloud.
His sharp eyes scanned me from head to toe, unreadable as ever.
"I—uh—" My words tangled as panic surged up my throat.
Think, Hua.
I forced a weak smile, clutching my stomach. "I'm not feeling well. Could you tell the team I'm leaving early?"
He frowned slightly. "Should I inform—"
Before he could finish, I cut him off with a hand pressed over my mouth, pretending I was about to throw up.
"I—just—tell them—"
Then I bolted.
The moment I pushed through the glass doors and stepped outside, the cold air hit my face like a slap.
Finally. I could breathe.
I leaned against the wall, clutching my chest, trying to calm my heartbeat.
Maybe… maybe I overreacted.
Maybe there was nothing between them. Maybe it was just coincidence.
But my mind refused to settle.
Because the truth was… Yichen made me feel things I couldn't control.
Things I didn't want to feel.
He made me angry. He made me confused. He made me—
No. I wasn't going there.
I straightened up, muttering under my breath, "I hate him."
Then paused.
"Maybe…"
I shook my head. No. No maybe.
Just as I was about to cross the street, a sleek black car stopped in front of me, blocking the pedestrian lane.
I blinked, startled.
The tinted window rolled down.
And my day somehow got worse.
"Yiran," I said flatly.
The last person I wanted to see.
He leaned an elbow casually on the open window, that infuriating half-smile tugging at his lips.
Of course, he looked perfect—tailored shirt, watch glinting in the daylight. Even his hair looked smug.
Behind him, the drivers were starting to honk impatiently.
"New car?" I asked dryly, folding my arms.
He tilted his head, as if amused. "You noticed."
I did. Because unlike the cheap rental cars he used to pick me up in—his words, to stay humble—this one screamed money.
And Yichen.
Everything about it reminded me of his brother.
A thought that made my stomach twist all over again.
"What do you want, Yiran?"
He ignored my tone completely. "Get in."
My eyebrows shot up. "Excuse me?"
"I said, get in."
His voice was calm, almost lazy—but the look in his eyes said he wasn't taking no for an answer.
Unbelievable.
I was doing everything in my power to push him away—to make him vanish from my life—and here he was, showing up like a bad sequel no one asked for.
"Don't you have a wife at home?" I shot back.
His jaw twitched. "This isn't about her."
Of course it wasn't. It was never about her, was it?
My phone buzzed in my hand.
"Hua!"
The familiar voice made me spin around.
Yichen.
He was standing a few meters away, eyes locked on me, expression unreadable—but there was a sharpness there, a hint of panic maybe.
No. No. Not now.
The last thing I needed was both brothers in one scene of my life.
I froze for a second, caught between them—the past and the present, both equally infuriating.
The cars behind Yiran started honking louder, echoing like chaos around us.
He tapped his steering wheel impatiently. "Make a choice, Hua."
I turned back.
Yichen was on his phone now—probably calling me.
The phone in my hand buzzed again. BUZZ. BUZZ.
Oh, hell no.
I opened the car door and slid in quickly, shutting it before I could change my mind.
Through the windshield, I caught a glimpse of Yichen's face as Yiran pressed down on the accelerator.
Too late.
We were already gone.
And for the first time that day, I had no idea whether I was escaping or walking straight into another disaster.