The night deepened outside the window. Rain pattered against the floor-to-ceiling glass of the top floor of Gu Corporation, reflecting the cold white glow of S City's skyline.
Under the warm office light, Avery stood, gripping a file tightly in her hand, her knuckles pale from tension.
"Lucien, the procurement plan for the Jinyuan Residence project has been finalized. Please review it."
Her voice was calm, almost indifferent, but it carried an unshakable firmness beneath the surface.
Lucien looked up at her, a faint chill flickering in his dark eyes. His long fingers idly twisted the jade ring on his thumb, then tapped the table rhythmically. "Are you planning to work this late every night?"
Avery paused, then lowered her gaze. "I just want to push the project forward as quickly as possible."
"Or—" he rose from his chair, taking slow steps toward her, his tall figure casting a shadow over hers, "—is it because you had dinner with Ethan last night and feel guilty?"
She suddenly looked up, locking eyes with him. The cold in his stare made her heart skip a beat.
"It was… just to talk about work," she explained softly, unconsciously curling her fingers into a fist.
Lucien let out a low chuckle. "You needed to smile that brightly for work discussions?"
He was standing too close now, his breath brushing the faint scent of her hair. His fingers twitched, almost reaching out to tuck the loose strand behind her ear—but stopped at the last second.
"Avery, let me remind you," he said, voice low and sharp like rain tapping glass, "Jinyuan Residence is a Gu Corporation project. You belong to Gu Corporation."
Avery's chest rose with a shallow breath, but she met his gaze steadily. "Lucien, I know who I am. I'm just doing my job."
Her eyes shone with a quiet strength, like a lantern burning in the middle of a dark night.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. The tension in the air thickened.
Then Lucien abruptly snatched the file from her hands and tossed it onto the table. "Come with me."
"Where to?"
"Dinner."
"…I'm not hungry, Lucien."
"I wasn't asking."
The rain grew heavier at night, washing the city streets into glossy reflections.
Lucien brought her to a secluded, cozy private restaurant. The soft glow of wooden lamps warmed the space, mingling with the scent of broth and freshly steamed rice.
Avery sat in the corner, her fingers nervously tugging at her sleeves.
Across from her, Lucien sat with his arms crossed. The light softened his sharp features slightly, but the chill in his gaze remained.
The waiter brought over soup and rice. Lucien didn't say a word, only glanced at her. "Eat."
"Lucien, I really—"
"Eat." His voice dropped another octave, firm and commanding.
Avery bit her lip and picked up the chopsticks. She ate slowly, nibbling in small, careful bites.
Lucien watched her, watched the gentle lowering of her eyes, the pink flush on her cheeks from the heat of the soup.
Why did he care if she had eaten?
He didn't know.
But the image of her laughing with Ethan outside that café last night had irritated him all night long. He hadn't slept.
She was someone he had set his eyes on.
She could be stubborn, defiant, work late into the night—but she couldn't smile at Ethan like that.
With the warmth of the soup in her hands, Avery finally asked, "Lucien, aren't you taking a bit too much interest in your employee's personal life?"
"Interest?" Lucien raised an eyebrow and scoffed. "Don't flatter yourself."
"Then how should I interpret tonight?"
"Call it a bad mood. And I needed company."
Avery choked a little at his bluntness. Her chest tightened, but she had no rebuttal. She lowered her head and continued eating.
Still, somewhere deep inside, there was a warmth—bittersweet and hard to name.
After dinner, the rain had stopped.
Lucien walked ahead, Avery following half a step behind.
The night breeze was cool. She quickened her pace to catch up. Just then, he turned around suddenly.
They nearly collided. She staggered slightly, and he instinctively reached out to steady her arm.
Their breaths mingled in the close distance. In that brief moment, they could see their reflections in each other's eyes.
Avery inhaled sharply, trying to pull away. But his hand gripped her arm tighter.
Lucien lowered his gaze, his eyes heavy in the night air. "Next time, don't let me see you smiling at another man."
Avery froze. Her heartbeat skipped again.
For just a second, beneath his cold expression, she saw something burning—something possessive and barely restrained.
The night wind stirred the strands of her hair, and with it, the invisible heat that neither of them dared name—yet couldn't deny.