The gala hall shimmered under crystal chandeliers, casting kaleidoscopic reflections on marble floors as a sea of elites gathered beneath a ceiling of opulence. The event—an international fashion-tech collaboration between Celeste and LuTech Innovations—was the talk of the industry, and Liyana Xu stood at its center.
She was elegance personified.
Wearing a midnight blue silk gown custom-designed by her own team at Celeste, Liyana held herself with quiet power. The neckline framed her delicate collarbones, while the cut hugged her in all the right places, regal but fierce. Flashes from cameras followed her every move, but she remained unaffected—eyes sharp, chin high, confidence exuding from every step.
Mira walked closely behind her, clipboard in hand and eyes scanning the room with practiced efficiency. "Media's in place. Aiden should arrive in ten minutes. Damien's already here—he's over by the exhibit panels," she whispered discreetly.
Liyana nodded. "Good. Make sure the keynote visuals are synced."
Just then, a stir moved through the crowd.
Aiden Zheng had arrived.
He wore a tailored black velvet suit with a deep crimson pocket square that complemented his sharp cheekbones and effortless charisma. Cameras clicked like a storm as he smiled, waved, and posed briefly before heading straight toward the Celeste booth where Liyana stood.
"Aiden!" Mira greeted, clearly flustered, though she played it off with a businesslike tone. He gave her a brief nod, his signature smirk softening.
"Miss Xu," Aiden said, extending a hand, "it's good to see the queen of Celeste shining again."
Liyana accepted it with grace. "You flatter me, Zheng. But thank you for coming."
Aiden chuckled. "It's not flattery when it's the truth. You've transformed this brand from luxury to legend. I've worked with designers all over the world, but no one commands innovation like you do. Every stitch, every launch, every campaign—you don't just lead the fashion world, you redefine it."
His words were smooth but sincere, and he didn't say them for applause—he said them for her.
Nearby, cameras captured the moment. Journalists whispered excitedly, murmurs of "Aiden praises Liyana" already flooding social feeds. Mira's eyes flicked up briefly toward Aiden, surprised by the softness in his tone.
And across the room, someone else noticed.
Qin Xieren.
Standing near Damien with a glass of rosé champagne in hand, her expression faltered for a fraction of a second. Her smile, previously perfect, suddenly stiffened. She didn't miss the way Aiden looked at Liyana—not like a business partner, but like a man genuinely in awe of a woman.
Nor did she miss the subtle glow on Liyana's face in response.
"Impressive turnout," she said to Damien, forcing her tone to stay light. "Celeste really knows how to host."
Damien gave a short nod, eyes on Liyana.
"Seems Aiden Zheng is quite taken with her," Xieren added, casually. "They must have grown close while working together."
Damien turned slightly. "Are you trying to imply something, Xieren?"
Her lashes lowered coyly. "Of course not. Just an observation."
But inside, her stomach twisted. She had seen Liyana as competition before—but only in a subtle, passive way. Now, watching someone like Aiden Zheng, someone with global reach, praise Liyana like she was the sun itself—it scraped at every insecurity buried inside her.
Because no one had ever spoken about her like that.
Not Damien.Not the media.Not the world.
And even worse—Damien hadn't blinked. He hadn't flinched at Aiden's praise. He'd simply watched, as if he knew and accepted Liyana's place as the spotlight.
That was when jealousy truly ignited.
Not just of Liyana's talent—but of how effortlessly people adored her. How, even in a room of the powerful, she was the one others orbited around.
Later that evening, Aiden and Liyana were photographed laughing lightly together, a glass of wine between them, their chemistry impossible to ignore. Mira stayed close by, answering media questions, though her eyes occasionally lingered on Aiden longer than she meant to.
"Do you think it's intentional?" Mira asked Ruoxi quietly when they slipped out to the side gallery. "The way Qin Xieren watches Liyana? There's something off."
Ruoxi tilted her head, eyes narrowing slightly. "I noticed it too. That woman doesn't just want Damien… she wants Liyana out of the picture entirely."
"And if Aiden keeps publicly admiring Liyana like this…"
Ruoxi smirked. "It might just be the perfect spark to expose what Qin's really hiding."