Lucas Hart strode into the conference room to find the department director and Yasmin Quinn fighting over my computer, determined to delete my design work. I was pushed to the ground, a sharp pain shooting through my two-month pregnant belly. “Stop this at once! What do you think you’re doing?” Lucas’s voice was cold as ice. “Lucas, you’re here! Did you come to see me?” Yasmin’s eyes lit up at the sight of Lucas, her face flushing coyly. Lucas ignored her and scooped me up in his arms. “Lucas, what’s going on? Do you know this woman? She must have ulterior motives – she’s just pretending to get your attention!” Yasmin cried out. The bodyguards held them back at the elevator doors. Just before they closed, Lucas said icily, “If anything happens to my wife, you’d better not plan on living either!” The scorching sun beat down as I walked step by step towards the Blue Zenith Design office building, my heart full of hope for my new life. Suddenly, a deafening roar came from behind me. I turned to see a Lamborghini barreling towards me on the sidewalk, showing no signs of stopping. I froze in place, unable to react. The Lamborghini screeched to a halt mere inches from me. My body instinctively jerked backwards and I fell to the ground. “My baby!” I clutched my belly protectively. The car door opened and an aggressive-looking girl stepped out. Though impeccably made up, she couldn’t hide the hostility in her eyes. “Are you f***ing suicidal? What are you doing standing in front of my car? Do you have a death wish?” she snarled. I struggled to my feet, relieved to feel no abdominal pain. The baby seemed fine, though my dress was torn and my heels scuffed. A stinging sensation made me realize my leg was scraped, with visible blood. “This is a sidewalk. I was just walking normally. You’re the one illegally driving on the sidewalk,” I said, suppressing my anger. “What? You dare talk back to me? Don’t push your luck! It’s my first day of work and I don’t have time for this. Get out of my way!” The girl spat on the ground, got back in her car, and sped off. What awful luck to encounter someone like that! But thinking of my two-month-old baby, I knew I needed to stay calm and cheerful. I took a deep breath and did my best to clean up the scrape. Just ten minutes earlier, I had gotten out of Lucas’s car at the previous intersection. He had looked worried, reluctant to let his pregnant wife walk even a short distance in heels. But I insisted on getting out early, not wanting to reveal our relationship just yet. I could already imagine his reaction when he saw my injury tonight – angry, but mostly concerned.
Arriving at the 58th floor reception area of Blue Zenith Design, I stepped out of the elevator to find two rows of receptionists lined up. “Welcome, Miss Quinn—” they chorused with a bow. My mind went blank – had Lucas made our relationship public after all? “What are you doing? Stop that right now!” A woman with her hair in a bun came rushing over. “How many times do I have to tell you to use your brains! Look at how she’s dressed – torn dress, scuffed shoes. How could this possibly be the CEO’s wife?” The woman stood haughtily in front of me, berating her staff. “Yes, Ms. Young.” The receptionists looked me up and down, seeming to agree with her assessment, and lowered their heads. This left me thoroughly confused – if I wasn’t Lucas’s wife, then who was? Just then, the elevator doors opened again. The girl who had nearly run me over earlier swaggered out. The receptionists and Ms. Young immediately bowed respectfully in greeting. “Hello everyone, I’m Yasmin Quinn.” Yasmin looked very pleased by their deferential welcome. “Miss Quinn, oh I mean Mrs. Hart! Yesterday our director said the CEO’s wife with the surname Quinn would be starting work here. I received your resume last night and couldn’t sleep a wink from excitement! Please look after me and support me in the future!” Ms. Young fawned obsequiously. “Really? The director said I’m Lucas’s wife?” Yasmin’s face lit up with joy. “Yes! I received two resumes – yours and this woman’s. If you’re not the CEO’s wife, surely it couldn’t be her?” Ms. Young jerked her chin dismissively in my direction. Yasmin glanced at me scornfully. “Her? In those cheap clothes? As if she could be the CEO’s wife.” The others laughed derisively at her words. “If that’s what the director said, it must mean Lucas has feelings for me! After all, he and the director are so close, there’s no way he could have misunderstood!” Yasmin smiled smugly, her eyes gleaming with coy delight. Her expression made me rather uncomfortable. “Ms. Young, I think Miss Sinclair is wearing a Prada haute couture dress…” Tina, who had been standing quietly beside Ms. Young, said softly. Ms. Young’s face changed instantly upon hearing this. Yasmin also caught Tina’s words. “Haute couture? Prada? Come on Tina, don’t joke around. I’ve been to every major fashion show – that’s clearly a cheap knockoff!” “Haha, you’re right Yasmin! Tina, I can’t believe you got it so wrong! Don’t overthink things – hurry up and show Miss Quinn to the special workstation we prepared for her!” Hearing Yasmin’s words, Ms. Young relaxed completely. “Yes, Ms. Young. What about Aria Sinclair’s desk?” Tina asked. “Aria Sinclair? We don’t have any empty desks left! Let her work in the storage room for now!”
I entered the storage room, which was covered in dust. It was so stuffy I could barely breathe. I had to grab cleaning supplies from the utility closet and start scrubbing. I had just cleaned enough space to sit down when Ms. Young came in and dumped a huge pile of work on me – all her personal tasks. “Ms. Young, making a PowerPoint for your kid…is this really part of my job?” I asked incredulously. “Who do you think you are, Aria Sinclair? When I give you work, you do it! Don’t think I don’t know your type – daddy’s little rich girl who only got in here through connections!” Ms. Young put her hands on her hips and started berating me. “The design department is the biggest in Blue Zenith, and I’m the biggest player in the design department! You’d better listen to me and do whatever I say, or I’ll have you fired in no time!” With that, Ms. Young slammed the files on the desk and stormed out. I sighed and picked up the documents. Lucas’s words from yesterday echoed in my mind: “No matter how strict the management, in such a large company there are bound to be some sycophants in the subsidiaries. I’m worried they’ll bully you…” I had to laugh, remembering how I told him to think positively and trust his employees, as well as me. My whirlwind romance with Lucas felt like a fairytale. The reason I was reluctant to make our marriage public wasn’t just because I didn’t want to live under his protection, but also because I wanted to stand beside him with a brand new identity. I used to be a professional rehabilitation therapist, serving ultra-wealthy families in New York City. My very first client after starting work was Lucas Hart, who had lost feeling in his legs after a car accident. As the new CEO of Blue Zenith Group, news of Lucas’s potential paralysis would undoubtedly impact the company’s stock price and exacerbate the complex power dynamics among upper management. So Lucas decided to keep it under wraps, using the excuse of studying abroad to go to Switzerland with me for rehabilitation. At the time, Lucas didn’t know if he was facing permanent disability or eventual recovery. All he knew was that his 28 years of pride and invincibility had been shattered in the face of disaster. His mood was extremely unstable then. The slightest frustration would set him off throwing things in anger, causing his family great distress. But in those darkest moments, I patiently stayed by his side. I took him out in nature, let him vent his emotions freely in the wilderness, listened to his sorrow and helplessness, and offered sincere comfort… Later, to both our surprise, we fell in love. What surprised me even more was that his legs miraculously recovered. I had thought someone like him would never have a story with me. When I learned Lucas’s legs were back to normal, I was overjoyed but also deeply saddened, feeling I would no longer have the chance to stay by his side. I left a letter confessing my feelings for him and wishing him well in the future, then returned to the US alone. Unexpectedly, on the third day after I got back, as I was sitting at home lost in thought, the doorbell suddenly rang. Lucas was standing outside. He knelt on one knee with flowers and a ring, his eyes brimming with love. “Marry me, Aria.” … After we married, I quit my job as a therapist, but I wasn’t content to just be an idle housewife. I picked up my art and design studies again, which I had abandoned years ago due to financial constraints. I hoped to join my dream company – Blue Zenith Technologies under the Blue Zenith Group – as a designer. Even though I was pregnant, Lucas was very concerned about my health but still respected my wishes and agreed to let me pursue my dreams. But I never imagined that as soon as I arrived at the company, I would be taught such a ridiculous lesson.
“Aria Sinclair, come out for a minute.” Ms. Young had barely left when Yasmin came knocking. “What is it?” I followed Yasmin to her bright, spacious workstation. “Aria, did you know that for the first month at the company, we’re both on probation? Only one person can stay in this position, so there will be fair competition.” Yasmin crossed her arms and lifted her chin, smiling strangely. “Although they say it’s fair competition, we all know how things really work… My family may not be as powerful as the Harts, but we’re still one of the top families in New York. So I don’t need to spell out which of us will stay, right?” “You mean I’ll be the one to leave?” I smiled too. But my smile angered Yasmin. “What’s that supposed to mean? You think it’ll be me? I’m just giving you fair warning so you don’t cry too hard when the time comes!” “I believe Blue Zenith is a fair company that will keep the person who’s most qualified for the job.” I replied calmly. “Qualified? Ms. Young showed me your resume – you’re just some poor student who had to drop out after one year at the Paris College of Art! I studied properly in the US for three years. How can you compare to me?” Thinking of my unfinished studies, I lowered my eyes, feeling a moment of sadness. But then I remembered how my French professor Léo always said: “Aria, you have such talent. It’s as if you were born for art.” “Not necessarily. I don’t think I’ll necessarily lose to you.” I took a deep breath and said quietly. “Don’t push your luck!” Yasmin flared up. “Since that’s how it is, next week we’re co-hosting a fashion show with a French design company. You two will represent Blue Zenith. I want to see what skills you really have!” Ms. Young had just come over to bring Yasmin coffee and overheard our conversation. “One week…” I murmured. “What’s wrong? Scared? Listen up, if your design isn’t chosen by the French side, forget one month – I’ll kick you out of the company immediately!” Ms. Young said contemptuously. “I was going to say that one week is plenty of time.” I smiled, leaving the two fuming women behind as I walked away.
One week is indeed very tight for creating a perfect work of art. But in my mind, I had already sketched out a design – it was an unfulfilled dream from my time studying in Paris. It was a gown with the pattern of Wang Ximeng’s “A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains” painted on it. Silk lining embroidered with Chinese landscapes. An organza overlay to add a dreamy, ethereal feel. The main colors would be smoky gray with low-saturation blue-green and white tones… I pulled three all-nighters to complete the design. After the final stroke, I collapsed onto the desk in the study and fell into a deep sleep. In my dreams, I heard Lucas gently scolding: “How could you fall asleep here…” I felt his strong arms lift me up and carefully place me on the bed, followed by a light kiss on my forehead. … The next morning, I rushed out the door with my drawings. Lucas chased after me: “Staying up late every night, and now getting up so early! Aria Sinclair, do you care about your health at all? What about the baby?” Seeing how worried he was, I couldn’t help but smile. “I’m fine, I feel great. Work makes me happy! The baby’s good too, I felt it move just now!” “Then, then what about me? Don’t you care about me anymore?” Lucas furrowed his brow and pouted. Is this what a sulky CEO looks like? I couldn’t help but giggle and gave him a quick kiss to reassure him. “That’s more like it! Oh, and Mom’s coming to New York to see you in the next couple days. Make sure you come home early!” Hearing that my outgoing and friendly mother-in-law was visiting, I was also very happy and nodded repeatedly. Little did I know that when I got to the office, things would take an unexpected turn.
Ms. Young and the design team staff were already waiting in the conference room. Today’s meeting was to conduct an initial screening to determine if my and Yasmin’s designs qualified for the fashion show. Yasmin presented her work first – a bright red brocade gown. You could tell some effort went into it, but not much. Ms. Young still praised it effusively with exaggerated expressions and tone, then asked everyone for feedback. It was clear no one wanted to offend this young heiress. They each took turns complimenting Yasmin’s design with flowery words, no two people saying the same thing. Yasmin could barely contain her smug smile. She turned to me triumphantly: “Aria’s supposed to be a big shot designer who studied in New York for a year. I can’t wait to see what masterpiece you’ll present!” The others laughed at her words. My resume was indeed the least impressive compared to theirs – they just wanted to see me make a fool of myself. Unfazed, I connected my computer to the projector. The moment I opened my design, the previously noisy conference room fell silent. Everyone held their breath, as if afraid to disturb the atmosphere. “It’s so beautiful!” “Incredible!” “Wow Aria, I had no idea you were this talented!” … People started whispering excitedly. Yasmin’s face visibly darkened. “Aria, this design looks familiar somehow. You didn’t plagiarize it, did you?” Yasmin suddenly asked coldly. “That’s right, I feel like I’ve seen it somewhere too. You must have copied it!” Ms. Young quickly chimed in. “That’s impossible. I stayed up for days designing this myself. All the drafts are on my computer.” I replied calmly. “Really? I don’t believe you. Show us the drafts then.” Ms. Young sneered. I opened my computer and pulled up the folder. The various draft versions were clearly visible. “Ms. Young, these drafts were probably stolen together. Aria didn’t even finish grad school, how could she have this level of skill!” Yasmin continued stirring things up. “We can’t let these designs get out, it would ruin Blue Zenith’s reputation!” “You’re right. Tina, delete all these files from Aria’s computer!” Tina responded and lunged for my computer. “Don’t you dare touch my designs!” I shouted. They all froze for a moment. But they quickly recovered and three of them started fighting me for the computer. “Let go, you b*tch!” Yasmin yelled as she grabbed at it. “Let go, or I’ll fire you right now!” Ms. Young snarled through gritted teeth. “You try firing me and see what happens! How can Blue Zenith have someone like you? Is there no justice?” I shot back without hesitation. SLAP! A stinging slap landed on my face, making me stumble. I lost my balance and fell to the ground. A sharp pain shot through my abdomen, making me see stars. My heart clenched in fear. The baby… my baby… I fought through the pain, trying to stand up and get the computer back. I couldn’t just watch helplessly as they destroyed my hard work! But the physical pain prevented me from getting up no matter how hard I tried. Just as they were about to delete the files, a thunderous shout came from the conference room door. “STOP RIGHT THERE!” Lucas strode in with my mother-in-law on his arm, followed by several bodyguards and assistants. “What do you think you’re doing?” Lucas’s voice was ice cold as he quickly made his way to my side and helped me up.
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