The phone buzzed insistently in Liyana's hand, Damien's name glowing on the screen. She exhaled sharply before answering, her tone clipped.
"Are you enjoying the show, Damien?"
A low chuckle came through the line. "Depends. Are you?"
Liyana's grip on the phone tightened. "Westward Plaza's owner just called me. Apparently, if we're really engaged, he's ready to finalize the sale in my favor."
Damien hummed, completely unfazed. "Interesting. So, what's your move?"
Liyana leaned back in her chair, eyes narrowing. "You think I'm going to take advantage of a false rumor to win this deal?"
"I think," Damien said smoothly, "that you're too smart not to consider every possibility."
Her pulse ticked. He wasn't wrong. Westward Plaza was prime real estate, an invaluable expansion for Celeste. If the owner was handing her the deal on a silver platter, why shouldn't she take it?
But accepting it under false pretenses?
Liyana scoffed. "You should be more concerned, Damien. If I take this deal, it means Aurora Grand Hotels loses out."
"Maybe," he mused, "or maybe I just find it amusing that my supposed engagement to you is causing such an impact."
His tone was unreadable, but there was something about it that made her uneasy.
"If I don't clear this up, people will assume we really are engaged," she pointed out.
There was a brief silence before Damien spoke, his voice lower. "And if they did?"
Liyana stiffened.
What kind of question was that?
She forced out a cold laugh. "Then they'd be fools."
Damien didn't respond right away, and that silence did something strange to her chest.
"Handle it however you want, Liyana," he finally said, voice light yet laced with something deeper. "Just remember—once people believe something, it's hard to change their minds."
With that, he ended the call.
Liyana lowered the phone, a strange weight settling in her stomach.
This was getting out of hand.
Liyana leaned back in her chair, staring at the ceiling as she let her thoughts unravel.
If she denied the rumors outright, the media frenzy would eventually die down. But with it, the opportunity would slip through her fingers. Mr. Qiao's hesitancy had stalled negotiations for weeks, yet now, with just one viral headline, he was suddenly willing to finalize the deal—without counteroffers, without another round of exhausting negotiations.
All because he believed she and Damien were joining forces.
A slow, wry smile tugged at her lips.
How ironic.
She had spent years proving herself, building Celeste from the ground up without riding on her family name. She had crushed competition, forged partnerships, and worked relentlessly to place herself at the top. And yet, one simple assumption about her relationship status was doing what months of strategic negotiations couldn't.
It was infuriating.
And yet...
It was useful.
She twirled a pen between her fingers, her mind calculating. What was the real downside? She wouldn't be outright lying—she'd simply be choosing not to correct an assumption that benefited her. A rumor like this had a shelf life; in time, the media would move on to something new. By then, the deal would be sealed, Westward Plaza would belong to Celeste, and the speculation would be nothing more than a faded headline.
It was cold, but business always was.
Her gaze flickered to her phone, Damien's name still lingering in her call log. His voice echoed in her mind—low, unreadable.
"And if they did?"
That moment of silence, the way his words had lingered—had he been testing her?
Damien was no fool. He had to know she would consider using this situation to her advantage. Was that what he wanted? Was he daring her to make this move?
Her jaw tightened.
It didn't matter.
Whether Damien was provoking her or not, the facts remained the same. This was a power play, and she would be a fool to ignore it.
Liyana Xu didn't hesitate when she saw an opportunity.
And she wasn't about to start now.
Liyana exhaled slowly, the decision settling in her mind like a perfectly placed chess piece. If the world already believed this engagement was real, why not use it?
Her fingers moved swiftly, dialing Damien's number. The line rang once before he picked up, his voice smooth as ever.
"Miss Xu," he drawled, amusement already lacing his tone. "Calling me so soon? I thought you needed time to clear up our little misunderstanding."
Liyana smirked, leaning back in her chair. "Oh, I still intend to. But before that, we need to talk."
Damien hummed. "Talk? Or negotiate?"
"Consider it a little of both," she mused. "Let's meet."
"Tempting," he said lazily. "But why do I get the feeling you're about to propose something... dangerous?"
"Because you know me too well."
Damien chuckled. "That, I do. So, where shall I meet my dear fiancée?"
Liyana rolled her eyes. "In your dreams, Damien."
"You sure? Because according to the internet, our wedding invitations are already being designed."
She scoffed. "I'll send you the location. Be there on time, big brother."
Silence.
A beat too long.
Then, Damien's voice dropped an octave, slower, almost deliberate. "What did you just call me?"
Liyana's smirk widened. "Brother. Isn't that what you called me? Sister? Last night? At dinner?"
She heard the sharp inhale on the other end.
Damien didn't immediately respond, and for some reason, that made her stomach tighten.
Finally, he let out a quiet chuckle—one that didn't sound entirely amused. "Hn. I suppose I did."
"Then it's only fair I return the favor," she said smoothly. "I mean, you do see me as a little sister, don't you?"
Another pause. This one heavier.
Damien's fingers drummed against his desk. Why did that word suddenly feel so... off?
Sister.
He had thrown it out so casually last night, a careless label from the past. Something he should still believe.
And yet... when Liyana said it back to him, something twisted in his chest.
It was stupid. Why should it bother him?
But it did.
He didn't like hearing it.
Didn't like how it made the space between them feel... smaller and yet further apart all at once.
"Careful, Liyana," he finally said, his voice deceptively soft. "You might regret calling me that."
She laughed. "Oh? And what exactly are you going to do about it, gege?"
Damien exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulders. Annoying woman.
"Nothing," he murmured. "Yet."
Liyana shook her head, satisfied. "Good. Then don't be late. See you soon, big brother."
And before Damien could say another word, she ended the call.
Damien stared at his phone, jaw ticking.
For some damn reason, he suddenly hated the sound of that word.
Somewhere in the City...
A dimly lit café buzzed with the low hum of conversations, the scent of fresh coffee hanging in the air. In a secluded booth near the back, two reporters sat across from each other.
"You're really playing with fire, Zhang," the younger reporter muttered, glancing around nervously. "Do you have any idea what kind of people you just pissed off?"
Reporter Zhang leaned back, stirring his coffee leisurely. "Relax. This isn't just some baseless tabloid gossip. Trust me, Lu Damien and Xu Liyana will thank me for this one day."
"Thank you? Are you serious? You leaked a rumor about their engagement! Do you know what happens if either of them decides to sue?"
Zhang smirked, taking a slow sip of his coffee. "I'm not worried."
"Why not?"
He set his cup down, eyes gleaming with something unreadable.
"Because I have the strongest backer in this city."
The younger reporter swallowed, his unease growing. "Who—"
Zhang chuckled, shaking his head. "That's not for you to know."
Outside, the city lights flickered, the night carrying whispers of a story far bigger than a simple rumor.