Lila dragged herself home from work, exhausted, only to be greeted by the savory aroma of dinner wafting from the kitchen.
"Back late again?" Lu Zhe poked his head out, his voice unusually soft. "Studying at school?" He ladled her a bowl of steaming soup.
Lila dropped her bag, slumping at the table. "Lu Zhe, don't you have a company to run? Stop fussing over me."
She sipped the soup—surprisingly delicious, warm, with a hint of herbs.
Lu Zhe didn't bite, instead pulling a small box from the fridge. "Passed a dessert shop today. You liked their stuff last time, so I grabbed some. Try it."
Lila dug in, savoring the cool, sweet treat. Her heart stirred—Lu Zhe's vibe had shifted. Gone was the "keep out" frost; now he was all lazy indifference, his edges softened.
"Don't overdo the cold dessert at night," he said casually.
She nodded, popping the last bite, a quiet satisfaction settling in.
"By the way," he added, his tone neutral but probing, "you've got that contest presentation coming up, right?"
Lila froze. "How'd you know?"
"Vanessa dropped by this afternoon, asked me to watch her pitch," he said lightly, his eyes flicking to her face.
Lila's brow furrowed, but she kept eating, masking her irritation.
"It's nothing," Lu Zhe continued, watching her closely. "We grew up together. She's like a sister."
Lila set down her chopsticks, a sly smile curling her lips. "Oh, cool. Go cheer her on."
No jealousy, no jab—just a cool, detached grin. Inwardly, she smirked: Go watch your "sister" crash and burn, Lu Zhe.
Lu Zhe blinked, thrown. Shouldn't she be snarking back? Was she unbothered—or playing him?
He probed further, but Lila gave nothing away.
After washing up, she retreated to her room, towel-drying her hair while texting Wendy: Big show's on. Lu Zhe's going. Bet Susan and Jo An will be there, hyping Vanessa's debut.
Wendy shot back: Crowd like that? Vanessa's about to go viral—for all the wrong reasons.
Lila chuckled, scrolling a forum and spotting a new post from that annoying user who'd hijacked her thread: Mentioned my childhood friend to my girlfriend, and she didn't even flinch. What's the deal?
Grinning, Lila fired off a reply: Buddy, don't panic. She's either over you or already got someone else. Prep for a breakup—grab some tissues.
In the guest room, Lu Zhe's phone buzzed. He read her response, brow creasing. His mind spiraled: Why's Vanessa always slandering Lila—engagement banquet, rumors, backstabbing? Attention-seeking? A wild thought hit: Does Vanessa… like Lila?
That night, Lu Zhe tossed and turned, sleepless. Lila, the mastermind, slept like a baby.
A week later, the entrepreneurship contest kicked off. Lila's team aced the finals, clinching an $8 million prize. Her senior, already paid, offered to split it 50-50. Lila refused, taking just 10% and dividing $800,000 among the team.
"You and Senior did the heavy lifting," a teammate protested. "We just tweaked details."
Wendy clapped their shoulder. "Take it. Lila's fair. Plus, if we rank high, there's more cash—and maybe investor deals!"
Lila smiled. "Your late-stage tweaks—market research, data simulations—got us here. And you risked playing along with my act."
The team laughed, their bond unspoken but tight.
Lila wired half her share to Tracy for her mom's care, donated a chunk to the orphanage, and saved the rest.
Presentation day arrived, the gym packed with spectators—judges, execs, investors. Wendy gripped Lila's hand, nervous. "You freaking out?"
Lila took a deep breath, her smile fierce. "Nervous, sure. But it's showtime."
She spotted Vanessa in the crowd, arm looped through Lu Zhe's, beaming beside Susan and Jo An like a perfect family. A pang of irritation hit Lila. All that warmth this week… just a game?
Wendy whispered, "Don't sweat it. He'll see your worth."
Lila nodded, burying her softer feelings. Today, I'll show everyone who the real liar is.
Susan, true to form, launched into venom. "Lu Zhe, Lila's a nobody—bad blood, worse attitude. We only took her in out of pity. How's she fit for you?"
"Vanessa's different," she cooed. "Smart, sweet, your childhood match—perfect."
Vanessa played coy. "Mom, stop… Lila's still Lu Zhe's fiancée…"
Their duet was Oscar-worthy.
Lu Zhe stayed silent, his gaze unreadable.
"Lu Zhe, I've worked so hard," Vanessa purred. "Cheer me on, okay?"
Susan piled on, "You'll crush it, dear!"
Vanessa clung to Lu Zhe, smug. His face, though, grew colder by the second.
Susan noticed his chill, nudging Vanessa to ease off. "Business is booming," Lu Zhe said curtly to Jo An, who shrugged. As long as the Jo family's rep stayed clean, he'd let Susan and Vanessa scheme.
The contest began with a rousing speech from the organizer, followed by rules and the first team's pitch. Soon, Lila and Vanessa were called—drawn for the same slot.
Vanessa's eyes gleamed with malice. Let's see you squirm. She went first, clicking open her PPT with a haughty glance at Lila. The crowd gasped: their projects were identical.
What's going on? Same pitch?
Lila feigned shock, wide-eyed. Vanessa smirked, savoring her "victory."
"Quite the coincidence," the organizer said, composed. "Two teams, same project. Who's first?"
Vanessa raised her hand. "Our team designed a unified membership platform…" She launched into a polished spiel, confident and commanding.
Lila listened, arms crossed, inwardly scoffing: Memorized it word-for-word? Should I hand you a recitation trophy?
The crowd buzzed—identical projects were rare, screaming coincidence or plagiarism. Everyone craned to guess the culprit.
Vanessa finished to thunderous applause. Susan and Jo An beamed; even Lu Zhe gave a slight nod of approval.
Lila's heart sank, but her face stayed blank. Lu Zhe's glance stung—did he only see Vanessa?
"Next, Lila," the host called.
Vanessa pounced. "Oh, I think I covered everything. Lila's got nothing to add, right?"
Lila rose, voice shaky, eyes downcast. "Um… my project's… pretty much like Vanessa's. Nothing special…"
She stammered, looking guilty, her tone frail.
Vanessa's smirk widened. "Lila, did you copy my work? If you wanted in, you could've asked—I'd have helped!"
Her saintly act was flawless.
Lila bowed her head, "tears" glistening, but inside, she sneered: Keep playing, Vanessa. Let's see how you crash.