They left The PuLi before sunrise.
The sky over Shanghai was still a pale violet when their car pulled up to the HanRui Development Group's headquarters. The streets were hushed, the towers reflecting the slow bloom of morning light. Inside the car, Cassian was unusually quiet.
He was in full CEO mode—suit crisp, hair styled back, jaw locked in quiet intensity. Sienna had seen him lead meetings before, but this time was different. This wasn't home turf. This was Wen Zhaoyu's playground.
And yet, Cassian looked like he'd built the damn building himself.
The elevator ride was silent. Sienna adjusted her blazer and took a slow breath. Cassian glanced at her reflection in the mirrored doors, then reached over and squeezed her hand.
"Stay close," he murmured.
She nodded. "Always."
The boardroom was massive—glass walls overlooking the river, a long obsidian table, and twelve men and women already seated. Wen stood at the head, smiling as they entered.
"Mr. Hayes. Ms. Caldwell," he greeted smoothly. "Glad you could join us."
Cassian shook his hand without flinching. "Let's get started."
For the next two hours, Cassian dominated.
Every slide, every figure, every question thrown at him—he caught it, flipped it, and sent it back twice as strong. The board threw him curveballs: outdated stats, unexpected projections, pushback on profit margins. Cassian responded with confidence and razor precision, pacing the room like it was a battlefield and he'd already won the war.
Sienna sat beside him, fielding the technical inquiries with calm authority. Her graphs were flawless, her logic sound. But more than anything, she watched him.
Watched the way his mind moved.
Watched how even Wen—smiling and composed—began to tighten slightly, his posture straighter, his charm cooling into something more cautious.
And Sienna felt it in her chest.
The swell.
Of admiration. Of pride.
Of something deeper.
She was already his. But here, watching him command a room full of powerful people like they were his interns, she fell harder.
When the meeting wrapped, one of the board members murmured, "We'll be reviewing the proposal, but I think we've seen enough to make a confident recommendation."
Cassian just nodded, collecting his materials calmly.
Wen stood. "Impressive, Mr. Hayes."
Cassian met his gaze coolly. "I always am."
They left the boardroom in silence, and it wasn't until the elevator doors closed behind them that Cassian exhaled.
Sienna looked at him, eyes shining. "You were incredible."
He smirked faintly, loosening his tie. "That was the polite version of what I really wanted to say."
She grinned and leaned closer. "I think you just gave me a new favorite kink."
Cassian raised an eyebrow, amused. "What kind of kink?"
She bit her lip, leaning in to whisper with a wicked gleam in her eyes. "I think I got wet from your boss voice. Let's try it tonight."
Cassian laughed, his hands catching her waist like he couldn't decide if he wanted to tease her or throw her over his shoulder right there. "Dangerous woman."
Moments later, they were ushered back into the boardroom, this time with champagne and cameras ready. Final signatures were made, hands shaken.
"Congratulations," Wen said, a touch more reserved now. "The partnership is official."
Flashbulbs went off as Cassian and Sienna posed with the contract—two professionals, polished and composed on the outside, absolutely burning inside.
And just like that, the deal was sealed.
After the pictures, after the clinking of glasses and final goodbyes, Cassian and Sienna didn't head back to the hotel right away. Instead, they found themselves walking the quiet campus paths of Peking University, hand in hand.
They hadn't planned it. But something about the weight of the deal being done made them both nostalgic. They took a car to the old campus, wandered past the library where they'd crammed for midterms, the lakeside benches where Cassian used to nap between lectures, the canteen that still smelled like soy and spice.
"God, nothing's changed," Sienna murmured, running her fingers along a chipped brick wall.
Cassian chuckled. "You have. In the best way."
They stopped by the bridge they'd once sat on with instant noodles and beer, their college selves still faintly echoing in the space around them.
"This feels unreal," she said.
He squeezed her hand. "No. This feels like full circle."
Cassian looked over at her with a teasing glint in his eye. "Who would've thought the quiet, nerdy girl with color-coded notes would end up landing the school's most worshipped heartthrob?"
Sienna raised an eyebrow. "Excuse you. I had a string of nerdy boys asking me for study dates. You were the arrogant one and it seems time haven't changed you."
He laughed, nudging her shoulder. "I was and still misunderstood."
They laughed, full and easy, surrounded by memories.
Then Cassian pulled out his phone. "Come on. We're taking a picture. This spot demands it."
He pulled her close, his hand resting on her hip, the other holding the phone up. The click of the shutter captured more than nostalgia—it caught the way he was looking at her, full of love and pride.
"Post it," he said softly.
Sienna looked up at him, a little surprised. A little apprehensive.
His eyes were steady. Open.
So she smiled.
And posted it.