Zhenting doubled down on his protection of Xia’s mother, personally ensuring her new suite at the hospital had every conceivable amenity and the most cutting-edge life support. He visited daily, not to speak with the comatose woman, but to subtly observe Xia, gauging her reactions to his presence and the environment he was creating for her. The air in the suite, however, felt thick with unspoken words, the silence a heavy blanket smothering the truth.
He began to treat Xia with a 'noble distance,' a carefully constructed barrier of polite professionalism that cut deeper than any outright dismissal. He delegated tasks through Assistant Qin, avoided direct eye contact, and spoke to her only when absolutely necessary, his voice a controlled, impersonal monotone. Xia, who had grown accustomed to his intense scrutiny, found this calculated indifference far more painful than Belle's petty insults. It was as if he was acknowledging an insurmountable divide, a chasm that no amount of shared jasmine-scented air could bridge.
During a tense board meeting, while reviewing the marketing campaign for a new luxury line, Zhenting caught Belle’s expectant gaze. He publicly praised her innovative strategies, highlighting her contributions with a forced enthusiasm that lacked his usual genuine passion. He told Belle, with a chilling formality, "I will honor my commitment to you, Belle. You have my word."
But as he spoke those words, his eyes never left Xia’s desk. He saw her flinch, a barely perceptible tremor in her delicate frame, as if the weight of his promise had landed squarely on her shoulders. A wave of conflicting emotions crashed over him – guilt, desire, and a desperate need to protect her from the consequences of his misguided sense of duty. The boardroom air, typically thick with the scent of power and ambition, was now haunted by the ghost of jasmine and the echo of a promise he knew was built on a foundation of lies.