Lu Corporation Headquarters.The air in the executive conference room was stifling.
One after another, board members cast doubtful, pressing stares. The CFO's voice raced through the latest quarterly report:
"Overseas investment projects have suffered losses for two consecutive quarters. Market value has dropped by 11.7%. The board demands an explanation."
"President Lu, our partners are suing for breach of contract—the court hearing is imminent. Were you aware of this?"
"And regarding the Tianyue Medical Project—the Shen Group has officially pulled out. The market is now rife with rumors that our decision-making structure is collapsing…"
Every question struck like a nail hammered straight into Lu Yancheng's skull.
He sat at the head of the table in a sharp suit, his gaze cold and sunken—but said nothing.
For years, he had reigned like a god—unshakable, admired, and feared.
But now, even that "god" was beginning to fall.
Chen Ze quietly slid a stack of documents toward him, murmuring:
"Latest media coverage, sir."
Lu Yancheng glanced at the headlines—
[The Illusion Shatters? Lu Corporation President's Alleged Rift with Ex-Wife Sparks Image Collapse—Investors Begin Pull-Out]
[Zhixu: From Underdog to National Brand—Founder Xu Zhiyi Lands VOGUE Global Cover]
[Lu Yancheng's Lost Love and Looming Crisis—The Myth May Be Ending]
His throat tightened.
In that moment, her silhouette came rushing back to him—That day at the creative park, when she turned away without looking back.
All his silence, all his indifference—now echoed back at him with deafening clarity.
She was really gone, step by step.
And he—was sinking, right where he stood.
—
After the meeting, one of the board members—a major shareholder—left him with a cutting remark:
"President Lu, capital won't wait for a man who can't even control his emotions."
That sentence was a blade, slicing through every ounce of composure he had left.
—
At the end of the corridor, Chen Ze asked cautiously:
"Should I… contact Miss Xu?"
Lu Yancheng murmured hoarsely,
"She's… where now?"
"Currently in Paris," Chen Ze answered."Attending the VOGUE Global Designers Summit. Her new collection has already been pre-ordered by top French buyers."
He paused."She declined our media interview request."
Lu Yancheng's body stiffened slightly.
She wasn't busy.
She simply didn't want anything to do with him anymore.
His hand clenched tightly. His voice was barely audible.
"Is she… doing well?"
Chen Ze hesitated for a second, then nodded.
"She's frequently in the public eye lately. And… she looks great."
Lu Yancheng closed his eyes, breath shallow.
"She really… is getting further and further away from me."
—
That night, he returned to the now-empty Lu estate.
The entire mansion felt colder than ever—so silent even the servants dared not speak.
He walked into the bedroom and opened the wardrobe.
Her clothes were long gone. But in the corner, crushed beneath an old storage box, he found a scarf.
It was hand-knitted by her.So old it was pilling at the seams—And he had never worn it. Not even once.
He crouched down slowly, lifting the scarf in his hands.
And sat there, unmoving. Silent.
—
Only now did he truly understand:
What he once dismissed—Was her quiet patience.Her silent endurance.Her unspoken love.
Now, as he stood in the wreckage of his own making, he finally realized—
That woman who once said,
"I don't regret it, but I won't go back."
She was the only thing in his life he had ever truly lost.