That evening, long after the offices had dimmed and the last meeting room door clicked shut, Allison stood alone in the executive lounge, watching her reflection in the tall glass.
Her fingers brushed the pendant resting just beneath her collarbone. A protection spell was cast from Yevana, silent and steady.
Allison thought about her little past again. The boy with the blue colour eyes who had turned his back on her so easily. And certainly how Marin had walked into that lie like it had always belonged to her.
'Let Marin enjoy her little illusion. I'm not twelve anymore.'
FRIDAY
At 10:02 AM sharp, a private internal email went out from Allison's desk.
Subject: Clarification of Communications Roles — Board Addendum
It was professional, concise, and looped in three key departments — Legal, PR, and HR — as well as a Board liaison.
Attached were two documents that read,
'A timeline showing Marin's unauthorized activities across internal email threads.
A summary of policy conflicts regarding external gifting and personnel appointment procedures.'
There was no anger in her words. No accusations. Just paperwork and precision.
The kind that left no room to slip between.
Lucian received it in silence from his end of the executive floor. When he finished reading, he closed the laptop with a slow, satisfied smile.
---
MEANWHILE — MARIN
Marin was all lipstick and charm in the PR meeting, legs crossed, laughing like she already owned the room. Until her tablet buzzed.
Then buzzed again.
The laughter dimmed.
She scanned the email. Scanned it again. Her fingers trembled, but only briefly. The smile didn't vanish but it stretched too tight and too stiff.
"Excuse me" she muttered, rising and slipping out of the room.
When Marin barged into Allison's office few minutes later, she didn't bother knocking.
The door clicked shut behind her. "That was a cute move."
Allison didn't look up. "I thought you liked gifts."
"You think you've won?" Marin hissed.
"No," Allison said simply, placing a file into her drawer and locking it. " I don't need to win to let you leave. It would have happened sooner or later without me ."
Marin crossed her arms. "He believed me. That boy, your little playmate. He didn't care what you did. He loved me."
Allison finally looked at her, why was she bringing this topic? "He loved who you pretended to be. He saw the real you eventually, didn't he?"
A flash of something...shame? Anger?rippled across Marin's face.
"I made him believe I saved him" she said with a smile and you let me. So maybe we're both liars."
Allison replied softly. "I was just tired of fighting for things I never should've had to earn."
For a moment, Marin said nothing. Then she laughed. A hollow, breathy sound.
"You're so smug now," she said. "Pregnant and powerful. I wonder how long it'll last."
Allison stood, slow and calm, stepping forward until they were face to face.
"Longer than you ever expected," she said. "And when it all falls apart for you and it will, don't expect me to pull YOU out of the lake this time."
Marin's smile cracked just a little. Then she turned and walked out.
The legal department issued an internal review. Marin's status as acting PR liaison was put under immediate audit. Access to sensitive files: revoked. Meeting privileges: suspended( pending clearance).
It hadn't come from Lucian, it came from compliance.
Marin didn't show up later that day.
In the quiet of Saturday morning, Allison stood at the edge of the private Lu Villa garden, sunlight catching the flowers as Tianlei chased butterflies across the path. Beatrice laughed from a bench, camera in hand looking dotingly at her son.
Lucian approached from behind, placing a hand gently over Allison's stomach.
"She's going to be strong," he said. "Just like her mother." he kissed the nape of her neck.
Allison turned her head slightly laughing. "You don't know if it's a girl."
"I know enough."
She leaned back against him, peaceful now. Tired, but steady.
Because this wasn't just about a little dramas.
It never had been.
It was about who kept walking even after everyone tried to make her drown.
And she?
She was rising.
Saturday afternoon carried a warm stillness across Lu Villa, broken only by the occasional flutter of wind and the rustling breath of garden leaves. The late sun painted the walls golden, catching on the delicate wind chimes hanging above the patio.
Inside, Allison lay reclined on the examination table, eyes fixed on the monitor. Her hand gripped Lucian's as the room filled with the steady, rhythmic thump of a machine.
"Strong" the doctor said with a gentle smile. "Very healthy. Congratulations, she's growing beautifully." Though it was still forming the doctor had use non-invasive blood test to determine the gender.
Lucian didn't smile right away.
He was staring at the screen like it was the first miracle he had ever seen. His hand tightened slightly around Allison. "That's… our daughter?"
Allison's throat tightened. She turned her head toward him.
His eyes were shining.
Not the usual silver-sharp glint, but warm. Almost wet. A rare softness breaking through all that eternal restraint.
The doctor took his suitcase and headed out while Lucian helped Allison out of the ward gently. Most of the health care was at home, he just had to call his personal doctor.
"I want to paint her room," he said out of nowhere.
Allison blinked. " But she's till little. Let's wait a little longer."
"I will now" he said, closing the door with a small grin. "I'll figure it out."
At exactly 3:20 PM, a notice was sent to all department heads. Marin Feng, former acting PR liaison, had been officially terminated for policy violations including misuse of executive access credentials and falsified campaign correspondence just few weeks she had stayed.
HR had found just enough to bury her.
Just a quiet, clean dismissal with a digital signature attached.
The company card with her had stopped working.
She stood in front of the glass doors of Lu Corporation, tapping it twice before realizing the security system had already revoked her.
The guard didn't even look up.
She left the premises in heels too high and dignity cracking beneath every step.
---
Away from the city buzz, Beatrice adjusted the silver ring on her middle finger and sipped from her cocktail. Across the small rooftop restaurant, Ren sat opposite her, eyes unreadable but softened by the breeze.
"So," Beatrice said, fingers drumming on the table. "This counts as a date?"
Ren looked over the rim of his wine glass. "That depends. Are you pretending not to enjoy it?"
She smirked. "Maybe I'm pretending not to be nervous."
He set the glass down gently. "You don't need to be. I'm sorry about everything, I'm sorry about what I did to our son."
"You better make it up to him," she let out a low chuckle.
They had history — tangled, broken, never clearly defined but there was something different tonight. No missions, no past hanging over their shoulders like a shadow.
Just two persons.
---
LU VILLA — NIGHTFALL
Tianlei had fallen asleep on the couch again.
Half a drawing book lay open on the rug beside him, crayons scattered like tiny soldiers mid-march. A movie hummed quietly on the TV. The boy had waited, stubbornly refusing to go to bed until his mom came home.
Now his cheek was smushed against a cushion, his little legs curled, soft snores escaping his lips.
Allison tucked a blanket over him when she came out of her room. Her movements were quiet. Her eyes lingered on him for a long moment.
Then she turned.
Lucian stood by the hallway light, his shirt sleeves rolled up, paint swatches in one hand.
He looked like he'd been waiting for her too.
"You said you liked soft peach," he murmured. "For the nursery."
She blinked.
"You… actually went to pick colors?"
"I bought ten" he admitted. "And tiny star stickers. And…" He hesitated. "A mobile that glows."
She walked over, touching his hand gently.
He never did things halfway. Not when it mattered.
"I think she's going to love it" she whispered. "Because it's from you."
He said, lowering his forehead to hers. "She's going to love you. I just get to love both of you."
They stayed like that, nose to nose, heart to heart.
By that time Tianlei has opened his eyes. He looked deeply at them then checked his mobile phone to see the message his mom has sent him.
"Mom is away with dad. Sleep tight little nugget.— Love mom ."