The mood at Celeste headquarters was no longer tense—but charged with purpose.
The very next morning after Damien's fiery press conference, Liyana walked into her building like a storm dressed in silk. Her fitted navy-blue blazer hugged her curves, heels tapping against the marble floors with the rhythm of power. Mira trailed beside her with her usual iPad in hand, expression sharp and ready.
"The damage from Qin Xieren's leaked 'scandal' is already retracting," Mira reported, voice clipped. "But we still have media outlets speculating about your professional integrity and personal affairs."
Liyana didn't flinch. "Let them. We'll show them the truth. And while we're at it, we'll make sure Qin regrets ever thinking I'd be an easy target."
They entered the executive conference room. Waiting inside were the full PR and crisis management team, already prepped. Charts were up. Reports laid out. Her presence straightened every spine.
Aiden Zheng was also seated at the table, his designer sunglasses pushed up onto his head. Dressed in casual cream tones and a loose knit sweater, he somehow radiated both comfort and control. When he saw Liyana, his smile deepened, amused and admiring.
"Looks like the queen's back," he quipped. "Show me where to aim."
Liyana smirked. "Don't worry. You'll get to fire the prettiest arrows."
Aiden's very public praise of Liyana the night before—when he called her "the most brilliant mind he's ever collaborated with" during a live stream Q&A—had already gone viral. Fans were obsessed. Industry insiders paid attention. It didn't just elevate her image—it embarrassed her enemies.
And most notably, it rattled Qin Xieren.
Ruoxi had confirmed it through a shared contact: Qin had thrown a fit after seeing Aiden's words trending with #QueenOfCeleste and #LiyanaXuDeservesBetter. Her carefully planned smear campaign was unraveling in real time.
As the meeting commenced, Mira projected a series of posts on the screen—user tweets, journalist columns, and influencer comments that praised Liyana's calm handling of the situation.
"Our decision to stay quiet while Damien defended you gave us the upper moral ground," Mira explained. "And with Aiden's endorsement, we've countered most of the online speculation."
"We'll use this momentum," said the PR head. "The narrative now? Resilience. Reputation. Power couple. You, Damien, and Aiden form an unbeatable triangle."
Liyana looked at the campaign mockups on the table—elegant visuals of her at the Celeste flagship store opening, quotes pulled from her past interviews, and footage of her walking the red carpet with Aiden.
"Good," she said, standing. "But I want this to be more than cleanup. I want transformation. I want every young girl watching to know this: a woman's strength doesn't need permission."
Applause broke out—quiet, but charged with admiration.
As the team left to begin the full-scale media rollout, Aiden lingered. He walked up beside Liyana as she stared out the window toward the city skyline.
"She's going to come at you again," he said, not hiding the steel in his voice. "Qin doesn't strike me as someone who gives up."
"She'll find out what happens when she pushes too far," Liyana replied calmly.
Aiden tilted his head, studying her. "You're really not afraid of being hated, are you?"
"I've been hated by better people."
He laughed softly. "Remind me never to be on your bad side."
"You won't be. Mira would kill you before I get the chance."
From near the door, Mira called out with a snort. "Don't tempt me, Aiden."
The three of them shared a rare, unguarded moment of laughter—a warm, fleeting bubble of peace amid the chaos. But under it all, the war was still on.
And Liyana Xu wasn't just winning.
She was rewriting the rules.