The glass doors of L&X opened, and the soft clicks of Lia's heels echoed down the marble hallway. It was her first day back after weeks of emotional chaos. Her assistant walked beside her, listing the day's meetings.
"There's one scheduled with a potential investor. His firm recently entered the Asian market—Adrian Wei."
Lia gave a slight nod. She wasn't in the mood to entertain business deals, but distractions were exactly what she needed.
Moments later, in the conference room, Adrian Wei stood by the window, his back straight, a calm expression on his face. He turned when he heard footsteps.
And then he saw her.
For a moment, the world blurred.
There she was—strong, poised, dressed in all black with her long hair falling over one shoulder, her face graceful but unreadable. But it wasn't just her beauty. It was the sadness in her eyes, masked behind a business smile. The quiet storm inside her.
And just like that—Adrian fell.
Not with intensity. Not with obsession.
But with depth.
With the kind of love that begins as a silent promise.
Lia took a seat, unaware of the stir she had caused within him.
"Mr. Wei," she greeted formally.
"Ms. Lianxu," he replied, sitting across from her.
They discussed projections, designs, strategies. But Adrian wasn't just watching her lips move—he was watching her. The way her fingers tapped the table when she focused, the way her voice tightened slightly when she talked about responsibility.
Everything about her fascinated him.
When the meeting ended, Lia stood to leave.
Adrian spoke before she reached the door.
"Lia."
She paused, turning slightly at the unexpected use of her name.
"You remind me of winter roses," he said softly, "Beautiful. Rare. And still blooming, even in the cold."
Lia blinked. It was poetic—but also personal.
She didn't respond, just nodded once and walked away.
But that line stayed with her all day.
And in Adrian's heart, a quiet truth settled—
He had just met the woman he would never forget.