Rumors flew like wildfire through the offices of Dongfang Corporation.
"The CEO kissed his wife in the library!"
If there was one piece of gossip that could set the entire company ablaze with excitement, this was it.
The mighty, aloof, untouchable Ethan Yu—the man who rarely cracked a smile, the very embodiment of cold, disciplined restraint—had been caught doing something utterly out of character.
Kissing.
Not just any kiss, but a deep, passionate one, right there in the company's library where anyone could walk in at any moment. It shattered the pristine image everyone had of their CEO. People had thought of him as untouchable, practically a saint in a suit. They never imagined he was capable of something so… so scandalous.
And the object of his affection? None other than his wife, Hailey Tang.
The moment the rumor hit the employee chat groups, it exploded. Everyone was whispering about it. In elevators, at water coolers, in the break room. There was only one topic on everyone's lips today.
Even Lin Xin'er saw it.
As she read the messages on her phone, her face turned an ugly shade of green. Her chest felt tight, like something was clawing its way through her ribs.
Kissing? They kissed?
But… weren't they getting a divorce? Weren't they supposed to be splitting up?
She refused to believe it. It had to be fake news. Someone must have made it up. Maybe it was staged. Yes, that had to be it. Just a show, a performance—nothing more.
That was the only way she could console herself.
Meanwhile, in the CEO's office, Ethan was well aware of the circulating rumors.
"Sir, should we… shut this down?" Ji Chuan asked cautiously, his tone respectful but uncertain.
"Shut what down?" Ethan asked lazily without even looking up from his computer.
"The, uh… the rumors," Ji Chuan replied, choosing his words carefully.
But Ethan only gave a faint, unreadable smirk. "Why should I?"
Ji Chuan blinked. Right. Of course. Why would the CEO want to stop people from talking about the fact that he kissed his wife?
Apparently, Ethan Yu didn't mind the rumors. In fact, it seemed like he wanted them to spread. That kiss wasn't just a kiss—it was a statement. A warning. To every woman in the company dreaming about seducing the CEO, and to every man foolish enough to cast his eyes on Hailey.
She's mine.
And Ethan had never been one to whisper his declarations.
If anyone else knew what he was thinking, they'd probably roll their eyes to the heavens. Seriously? She's already your wife. Who's going to make a move on her?
But Ethan didn't care. This was about more than possession. It was about emotion—territory—pride.
⸻
Hailey, unaware of the wildfire gossip she'd sparked, had just arrived at C University.
As soon as she pulled into the parking lot, she spotted Jo Ning waiting by the school gates. The girl was waving at her excitedly.
"Hailey! Over here!"
Hailey parked the car and stepped out, her professional outfit catching the eyes of every passing male student. She was wearing a white lace blouse tucked into a black fitted suspender skirt. The ensemble was both elegant and subtly seductive, especially with her hair up in a tidy, youthful bun. She was the perfect blend of professional allure and youthful charm.
Jo Ning's jaw dropped. "Hailey, why are you dressed like that? You look like a walking fashion magazine cover."
Hailey sighed dramatically and waved her hand. "Don't ask. Ethan dragged me into working at his company. I've been drowning in design work lately and almost forgot about our plan."
Jo Ning blinked. "Wait—you're doing design now? But… you didn't go to college!"
Hailey shrugged. "It's just house sketches. I don't actually understand anything. I just draw whatever looks right."
"That's still really impressive. I mean, I can't draw at all," Jo Ning said, clearly admiring her.
Hailey gave her a look. "Oh, come on. Anyone can draw a house. It's not rocket science."
"Well, maybe not, but you still need some kind of artistic foundation, right? And it has to look good."
"Eh, I guess so," Hailey said, looping her arm through Jo Ning's. "Anyway, enough about me. You said you'd give me a campus tour, remember? I haven't stepped foot on a school campus in years."
"Alright, alright. Come on, let's go!" Jo Ning grinned.
C University was one of the top schools in the country, both in academics and beauty. The campus was filled with lush gardens, scenic paths, and elegant stone buildings. Every corner looked like a postcard.
Hailey's excitement quickly turned to regret as she wandered the campus.
Her eyes sparkled as she looked around, but soon she was sighing dramatically, her expression filled with remorse.
"Jo Ning… this used to be my dream, you know? Getting into C University. I used to imagine myself walking these paths every day with my books and coffee. I was so close."
Jo Ning looked at her, puzzled. "You're not making any sense. You sound like you lost something important."
"I did!" Hailey cried. "I gave up college to marry Ethan Yu! I traded my dream school for a cold-blooded husband. I must've been out of my mind. It's like giving up a gold mine for a rotten cabbage!"
Jo Ning gawked. "Wait, are you calling Ethan… a cabbage?"
Hailey blinked, then burst into laughter. "No, no—I mean, maybe like a very expensive truffle-flavored cabbage."
Jo Ning joined her laughter, but there was a flicker of worry in her eyes. "Are you really okay, Hailey? You don't sound… happy."
Hailey's laughter faded. She looked up at the blue sky, her smile tinged with melancholy.
"Happy? I don't even know what that means anymore."
She thought of Ethan's kiss. The way he held her. The look in his eyes. It felt real. Too real.
And that was the problem.
They were supposed to be divorcing. It was supposed to be a clean break. So why did he keep blurring the lines?
Why did her heart race when he kissed her?
Why did she remember the feel of his lips, the heat of his breath, the way his fingers curled at her waist?
She hated him. She hated what he did to her.
But most of all, she hated that she didn't hate him enough.