The scent of jasmine clung to her as Xia hurried out of the conference room, the image of Zhenting with the ring seared into her mind. Elegant, understated, perfect—a ring Belle would never choose. Was it for me? The thought was a dangerous seed, one she couldn't afford to let bloom.
Back at her desk, she tried to focus on the stack of contracts Assistant Qin had left for her. But her thoughts kept drifting back to Zhenting, to the almost-gentle way he’d looked at her, the way his sandalwood scent made her heart race. “Get a grip, Xia,” she muttered under her breath. “He’s your sister’s fiancé.”
Suddenly, the elevator doors chimed open, and Belle breezed onto the 88th floor, her expensive French perfume assaulting Xia's senses like a chemical weapon. “Darling, I’m here to have lunch with my fiancé,” she announced, her voice dripping with honeyed venom.
Xia’s heart leaped into her throat. Lunch? Now? Zhenting was in the middle of a crucial call with the Shanghai office. If Belle saw her here, working so closely with him… the consequences would be dire. She could almost taste the impending humiliation, the smug satisfaction on Belle's face.
Panic clawed at her. “He’s… he’s on a call,” Xia stammered, trying to block Belle's path to Zhenting’s office.
Belle raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. “A call he can’t possibly interrupt for his future wife? Don’t be absurd, Xia. You know how important it is to maintain our engagement.”
Before Xia could react, Belle reached for the office door handle. Desperate, Xia grabbed her arm.
“Please, Belle, just… give him a few minutes. He’ll be finished soon.” The words sounded pathetic even to her own ears.
Belle’s smile tightened, and she peeled Xia’s fingers off her arm one by one. “You’re awfully protective of your boss, aren’t you, Xia? Almost… too protective.”
Just then, Zhenting’s voice cut through the tense silence. “Belle?”
Xia froze. He sounded… closer than she expected. He must have heard their exchange through the partially open door.
Zhenting appeared in the doorway, his eyes narrowed, taking in the scene before him. The cloying scent of Belle’s perfume seemed to visibly irritate him. “What is going on here?”
Belle plastered on her most innocent expression. “Darling, I just wanted to have lunch with you! Your assistant seems to think I need an appointment.”
Zhenting’s gaze flickered to Xia, his expression unreadable. “Xia is simply ensuring my schedule is adhered to. I appreciate her diligence.”
He stepped aside, gesturing for Belle to enter. “Come in, Belle. Let’s have lunch.”
Belle smirked triumphantly at Xia before sashaying into the office. As she passed, she leaned in close and whispered, “Consider this a warning, Xia. He’s mine.”
The door clicked shut, leaving Xia alone in the outer office, her heart pounding against her ribs. She couldn't stay here. Not while Belle was inside, flaunting her claim on Zhenting. She needed to disappear.
But where could she go? The restroom? Too obvious. The break room? Even worse. Her eyes darted around the room, searching for any escape.
Suddenly, an idea, reckless and desperate, flashed through her mind. She knew Zhenting would be furious if he knew what she was about to do.