Lu Yichen thought the worst was over.
Xinyi had eaten.
He had successfully blocked Zhen Yu's existence.
No accidental recognition happened.
The universe should have rewarded him.
But the universe hated Lu Yichen.
Because five minutes after lunch—
CRASH!
A loud bang came from the hallway.
Xinyi jumped.
Yichen almost dropped his phone.
Then came a voice:
"AHH—SORRY—SORRY—I DIDN'T MEAN TO BREAK—"
Zhen Yu.
Again.
Yichen's eye twitched. WHY is this man still alive in my building.
Xinyi stood up instantly.
"Oh no! Someone sounds hurt—"
Yichen blocked her path with the speed of lightning.
"No."
"But—"
"No."
"Yichen, maybe they need help!"
"They don't."
She blinked. "How do you know?"
Yichen's face remained stone cold.
"Because I forbid anyone in my building to get hurt."
"That's… not how injuries work."
"It is today."
Xinyi frowned suspiciously. "You're hiding something."
He almost choked.
"H-hiding? I don't hide things."
She crossed her arms. "Then why are you blocking the door?"
"Because the floor is slippery."
"Then warn your employees—"
"I already did."
A muffled scream came from outside:
"MY ANKLE—AH—"
Xinyi gasped. "Someone is hurt!! Let me go—"
Yichen panicked.
He grabbed her wrist.
Hard enough to stop her.
Gentle enough not to scare her.
"Xinyi. Listen."
She looked up, surprised by the sudden seriousness in his voice.
His eyes were sharp.
Focused solely on her.
"Don't go out that door."
He paused.
"Not today."
Her breath caught.
"…Why?"
Yichen opened his mouth.
Wanted to lie.
But for some reason… he couldn't say anything harsh to her.
So he said the closest thing to the truth.
"There are people outside I don't want you to meet."
Xinyi blinked. "Why? Are they dangerous?"
"Yes."
"Who?"
"Everyone."
"Everyone?!"
"I said what I said."
She stared at him like he was insane.
Before she could argue again—
A sudden knock came at the door.
Three soft taps.
Xinyi turned—
But Yichen reacted instantly.
He pulled Xinyi closer — too close — like shielding her from a bomb.
"Don't move," he whispered.
Her cheeks turned pink.
"Y-Yichen—?"
The door opened a crack.
"Sir?" Secretary Wen whispered nervously. "The man outside—he sprained his ankle. Should we call the medic?"
Xinyi INSISTED.
"We should help him!"
Yichen glared at Wen like: "OPEN YOUR MOUTH AGAIN AND YOU'RE FIRED."
Wen gulped and continued, "B-but the one who fell is—"
He glanced at Xinyi.
Yichen mouthed silently:
DON'T
SAY
HIS
NAME.
Wen quickly changed his words:
"It's… it's the janitor!"
"JANITOR?!" Xinyi ran to the door. "He must need—"
Yichen grabbed her again.
"No janitor sprains ankles in my building. They are trained."
Xinyi: "THAT'S NOT A THING!"
Wen: silently dying inside.
Behind Wen, Zhen Yu peeked with a limp.
Xinyi spotted him.
"Oh! It's not a janitor!! It's—"
Yichen SLAMMED the door shut so fast Wen barely escaped with his fingers.
Xinyi stared at him, stunned.
"Yichen… WHAT is wrong with you today?!"
He exhaled slowly…
And said quietly, honestly:
"I don't want you meeting certain people."
"Why?"
He looked at her.
Really looked at her.
For once, no cold CEO mask.
Just sincerity… and a flicker of insecurity.
"Because if you meet them…
…you'll start asking questions."
Her heart thumped.
"…Questions about what?"
About your real groom.
About the wedding.
About the man whose name you forgot.
But he didn't say that.
Instead, he murmured:
"Questions I'm not ready to answer."
Silence filled the room.
Soft. Heavy. Warm.
Xinyi looked down, voice gentle:
"…Okay. I won't ask."
Yichen froze.
She accepted it…
Just like that?
Xinyi smiled faintly.
"Because I trust you."
Yichen felt something tighten in his chest.
Uncomfortable.
Warm.
Dangerous.
Before he could respond—
Another knock.
Louder.
Urgent.
Wen's voice:
"Sir!! He's coming toward your office again—"
Yichen's soul left his body.
Zhen Yu's voice echoed from outside:
"Sir! I need your signature—"
Xinyi turned toward the door.
"Oh! Maybe I should open—"
Yichen didn't think.
He panicked.
He acted on instinct.
He gently pushed Xinyi against his desk—
not forceful
not romantic
but purely protective—
and whispered urgently:
"Don't. Move."
Her breath hitched.
"Yi-Yichen… you're too close…"
He froze.
Realizing the position.
Realizing her blush.
Realizing HIS heartbeat.
He stepped back immediately, flustered, coughing.
"Sorry. Reflex."
Xinyi covered her face, cheeks burning.
Outside, Zhen Yu knocked again.
"Sir??? Are you in there??"
Yichen inhaled deeply.
Today was a disaster.
But at least…
Xinyi hadn't learned the truth.
Not yet.
Not today.
Destiny, however…
was just getting warmed up.
The rest of the evening passed peacefully.
Xinyi finished her apple slices, Yichen made her tea, and for once, the Lu mansion felt warm instead of cold.
Xinyi rested on the sofa, watching a drama on mute.
Her eyelids slowly drooped.
Yichen noticed.
"Sleepy?"
She nodded once.
Without a word, he fetched a blanket and draped it gently over her shoulders.
She blinked up at him.
"Thank you… Yichen."
His chest tightened in a way he didn't understand.
"Sleep a little. I'll be in the study."
Xinyi curled up under the blanket, and within minutes, she drifted off.
Yichen watched her for a moment too long before quietly stepping away.
He closed the study door behind him.
Finally, he could breathe.
Or so he thought.
There was someone inside.
Secretary Wen.
Standing completely still.
Expression unreadable.
Yichen narrowed his eyes.
"Why are you here? It's late."
Wen hesitated.
Then he spoke quietly:
"Sir… may I ask you something?"
Yichen's jaw tightened.
He knew that tone.
Dangerous.
"Make it quick."
Wen swallowed.
"Why… did you panic today when Miss Xinyi and Mr. Zhen almost met?"
Silence.
Thick.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
Yichen answered without emotion:
"I wasn't panicking."
Wen didn't look convinced.
"Sir, I've been with you for six years. I've seen you handle hostile takeovers, political pressure, scandals… and you didn't blink."
He stepped forward.
"But today… you nearly tore down the building to keep them apart."
Yichen's fingers curled into a fist.
Wen continued softly:
"So I have to ask…"
He paused.
Air froze.
"Why are you hiding her real groom from her?"
For the first time all day—
Yichen's expression cracked.
A tiny, dangerous crack.
Not anger.
Not fear.
Something deeper.
Something that even he didn't want to name.
His voice came out low, quiet, almost threatening:
"Wen."
Wen straightened, heart pounding.
Yichen lifted his eyes—cold, sharp, unreadable.
"This conversation never happened."
"But sir—"
"It.
Never.
Happened."
Wen opened his mouth, then slowly shut it.
The message was clear.
Too clear.
He bowed and stepped out.
But just before he closed the door, he glanced back—
And saw Lu Yichen standing there in the dim light.
Not calm.
Not composed.
But troubled.
Deeply troubled.
Like a man hiding something he shouldn't.
Like a man afraid of losing something he wasn't supposed to care about.
Wen whispered under his breath:
"…Sir… this secret won't stay buried forever."
The door clicked shut.
And Yichen was left alone in the silence—
with the truth tightening around him like a noose.