Rain tapped against the windows of Celeste's downtown office as Liyana sat in the executive boardroom, her expression cool but unreadable. In front of her lay the final draft of the wedding sponsorship contract—a high-profile deal with Glamour Elite, a luxury bridal brand known globally. The collaboration would give her and Damien's upcoming engagement a glossy, elegant public platform. More than a symbol of love—it was a calculated move of power, branding, and corporate alliance.
Mira stood beside her, fingers skimming across the digital tablet as she went over the contract line by line.
"This is the third revised version they sent this morning," Mira said, frowning. "Something feels…off."
Liyana's eyes narrowed. "Define 'off.'"
Mira hesitated, then flipped to the clause marked Sponsorship Exclusivity.
"They've inserted a new condition. If your reputation or Celeste's image dips below a certain threshold—say due to public controversy or scandal—they can revoke the sponsorship with no legal consequences. That clause wasn't in the previous draft."
Liyana went cold. "Show me the timestamp of the contract's revision."
Mira tapped. "Midnight last night."
Just hours after Zhen and Damien had launched their digital sting operation on Qin.
Across the city, Damien was already aware.
He stood in the Lu Group's private media operations suite, jaw clenched as his assistant relayed the update.
"Glamour Elite's regional director received anonymous press 'tips' warning them of an upcoming exposé about Liyana—claims of embezzlement, fake philanthropy, falsified credentials. Total lies, but it made them skittish. They revised the contract without a proper legal consult."
"Qin," Damien muttered darkly.
"Undoubtedly. She's trying to tank the wedding before the engagement is cemented. If she breaks the alliance with Glamour, it opens the door for media speculation and damages Celeste's expansion partnerships."
Damien didn't hesitate. "Bring the legal counsel in. And alert the press team—we're issuing a counterstatement by noon."
Back at Celeste, Liyana had already requested a private call with Eleanor Huang, the regional brand director for Glamour Elite. The woman's voice, usually polished and diplomatic, carried hesitation.
"We're simply protecting our company's brand, Miss Xu. You understand the stakes. A scandal—even unfounded—can taint our association."
"Unfounded being the key word," Liyana responded icily. "You think I wouldn't notice that clause? Do you truly believe any top-tier partner will ever trust you again if this gets out?"
"I—I'm sure we can find a solution," Eleanor stumbled.
"Oh, we will," Liyana said. "Because if this contract goes public with that clause, my lawyers will not only sever this partnership, they'll make sure your next global campaign is publicly buried in breach-of-faith litigation."
Her tone turned razor-sharp.
"I don't bluff, Eleanor. You may want to ask the last man who tried."
Eleanor relented. "We'll revert to the previous draft immediately. Please allow me to issue a statement."
"Do it before sunset," Liyana said. "Or don't do it at all."
That afternoon, Damien met her at her private villa, his tie loose, eyes burning with suppressed fury.
"She nearly pulled it off," he said. "The clause would've allowed Glamour to drop us if any scandal trended. Qin had a series of fake exposés lined up, pre-scheduled for next week."
"She's playing a long game," Liyana said, pacing the edge of her sunken living room. "She knows the engagement will lock down more than just our personal lives—it merges the two most influential families on the coast. She's trying to fracture us before that happens."
Damien walked over, catching her wrist. "Then let's give her something real to fear."
She turned to him, searching his face.
"She's escalating," she said softly. "What if she doesn't stop?"
"Then I won't either."
For a moment, silence fell between them. Then Damien stepped closer, his voice lowering.
"I want the world to see you for what you are. Not just the queen of Celeste or Xu empire royalty—but the woman I'm marrying. The only one who's ever dared to go to war with me…and win."
Liyana blinked. Her throat tightened.
And when he kissed her—slow, deep, unhurried—it was not just to claim her, but to remind her: she was not alone in this battle.