Sunlight spilled across the city, blinding and merciless.
Every news outlet, gossip blog, and social-media feed carried the same headline:
> "Heiress Lian Yue Chooses Rival CEO Rian Zhao as Her Groom!"
Hashtags trended within hours. Photos of the announcement flooded the internet—her silver gown, his composed expression, their joined hands beneath the chandelier.
Online Frenzy
> "Wait—wasn't she supposed to marry Wei Jun?"
"Didn't their families hate each other?"
"Power move. Queen behavior."
Some cheered, some mocked, some speculated about secret deals.
By mid-morning, the entire city was talking about Lian Yue.
---
At Wei Jun's Apartment
The blinds were drawn, the room a mess of crushed newspapers and empty bottles.
Wei Jun stood in front of the TV, jaw tight, watching the replay of the ceremony.
There she was—calm, elegant, untouchable—calling another man's name.
"Turn it off," he snapped.
Lin Xinya hesitated. "Jun, listen—"
He slammed his hand against the wall. "She humiliated me in front of everyone!"
Xinya's tone softened. "You said she'd pick you. You told me not to do anything!"
He turned sharply. "Because I wanted her to remember who she belonged to!"
His voice cracked, the first sign of desperation.
"She looked at me like I was nothing."
Lin Xinya crossed her arms. "Then maybe you are. And maybe it's time you reminded her what happens when she crosses you."
Her words hung in the air like poison. Wei Jun's glare hardened.
"Fine," he muttered. "If it's war she wants, it's war she'll get."
---
At the Lian Estate
Meanwhile, Lian Yue sat at her vanity, scrolling through article after article. Her reflection in the mirror looked serene, but the faint curve at her lips betrayed her satisfaction.
Mei Rong entered quietly, holding a tray of tea. "Madam, the media won't stop calling. The PR team is asking if they should release a statement."
"No need," Yue replied, sipping her tea. "Let them talk. The more noise, the better."
Mei Rong hesitated. "And Wei Jun?"
Yue didn't look up. "He'll scream, he'll curse, he'll plot. Let him. He's already lost."
Outside, photographers lingered at the gate. Reporters camped by the road, hoping for a glimpse of her.
But Yue stayed calm, dressed simply in a white robe, reading the headlines like they were a morning comedy.
Then, a notification popped up on her phone.
Rian Zhao: Breakfast meeting. My office. 10 a.m.
Her brow lifted slightly. "He wastes no time."
Mei Rong blinked. "Are you going?"
Yue set down her cup. "Of course. He's my fiancé now… at least in name."
---
At Zhao Holdings
Rian Zhao stood by the floor-to-ceiling window of his office, one hand in his pocket, watching the skyline. The news channels behind him buzzed with his name and hers intertwined.
When his secretary announced her arrival, he only said, "Send her in."
The doors opened, and Lian Yue stepped in—composed, radiant, eyes unreadable.
Neither spoke for a moment. The air between them felt alive, sharp with everything unsaid.
Finally, Rian's lips curved faintly.
"So," he said, "you really enjoy turning the world upside down."
Yue's answering smile was calm, almost playful. "Only when it deserves to be turned."
He chuckled quietly, eyes narrowing in something between admiration and warning. "Then I'll have to keep up."
She took a seat across from him. "Good. I wouldn't want a slow partner."
---
> And as the city continued to buzz, two reborn souls—each with their own secrets—sat across from each other, smiling like allies, thinking like enemies.