Damien sat at his desk, the skyline of the city stretching endlessly behind him. His office on the top floor of Lu Group was usually his sanctuary—but today, an unsettling feeling gnawed at the edges of his mind.
The conversation with Liyana lingered.
"We have a rat pretending to be a dove."
He tapped his pen against the polished surface of his desk, his brows furrowed in thought. Qin Xieren. He had always kept a distant politeness toward her—an old classmate, a familiar face in business circles. But Liyana's instincts were sharp, deadly precise.
If she felt something was wrong, he had no reason to doubt her.
The intercom buzzed."President Lu, Mr. Zhen is here," his secretary announced.
"Send him in."
Moments later, Zhen entered, sharp in a tailored suit, carrying a leather folder. "Boss."
Damien gestured for him to sit. "Update me."
Zhen opened the folder, flipping through a series of documents and photos. "As you suspected, Qin Xieren's movements have been… interesting. She's been making contact with Gao Shixing more often than officially recorded. There's also indirect financial links traced between her small investment holdings and the firms trying to destabilize Celeste."
Damien's jaw tightened. "And?"
Zhen hesitated briefly. "We also found that she's been trying to get close to several board members at Lu Group. Very subtle. Dinners, charity events, invitations."
Damien's fingers drummed against the desk. So it wasn't just personal jealousy—it was a coordinated plan.Xieren wasn't acting alone. And she wasn't after just Liyana's reputation.She was after influence.
"She's still playing innocent," Zhen continued. "Just met with Miss Xu today at a café. Tried to spin a story about Gao Shixing being the real threat."
A cold smile touched Damien's lips. "Classic diversion."
Zhen nodded. "What do you want to do next?"
Damien stood, walking over to the floor-to-ceiling windows. He stared out at the empire he had built—at the empire Liyana was carving for herself.There was no room for traitors.
"No open confrontation yet," Damien said finally. "Let her believe we're still ignorant. Let her hang herself with her own rope."
Zhen closed the folder with a decisive snap. "Understood."
Damien's phone buzzed then—a message from Liyana.
[Liyana Xu: Dinner tonight? Just us.]
His cold mood softened instantly.He typed back:
[Damien Lu: Always.]
Zhen noticed the shift and smirked. "You're whipped, Boss."
Damien shot him a look, but there was a rare, boyish amusement in his eyes."Wouldn't have it any other way."
Later That Evening
Liyana waited at the restaurant's private terrace, wrapped in a sleek black dress, her hair caught in a loose, elegant twist.
When Damien arrived, he didn't just walk to her—he owned the space between them.
She rose to greet him, and for a moment, the world faded.Just them.Just this.
"Gege," she said softly.
"Mei-mei," he murmured, brushing his knuckles against her cheek.
Dinner passed in a warm haze of laughter, shared dishes, and lingering touches. But beneath the easy conversation, Liyana noticed the way Damien's eyes sharpened whenever Qin Xieren's name slipped into their talk.
"She won't stop here," Liyana said quietly over dessert. "She's too stubborn."
"No," Damien agreed. His hand closed over hers firmly. "But she made one mistake."
Liyana raised a brow.
Damien leaned in, his voice a velvet threat against her ear."She chose the wrong enemy".