Cecilia Gu lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.
She finally drifted off into a hazy sleep, only to be startled awake by the sound of a door opening.
She could sense someone had opened the bedroom door, but that person didn't come in. After pausing at the doorway for a moment, they closed the door and left.
Cecilia couldn't quite describe the feeling in her heart.
She just felt empty inside.
It hurt, but she couldn't explain why.
Or maybe, it was the disappointment of unfulfilled expectations.
Cecilia quickly snapped back to reality.
Disappointed? Why would she be disappointed?
Expecting something? Why was she expecting anything?
Sleep vanished instantly for Cecilia.
The sound of the study door opening and closing next door pricked at Cecilia's heart.
Just as she thought...
Cecilia gave a powerless smile.
This time, maybe she could finally give up hope?
After Charles Yin returned to the study, he quickly turned on his computer.
Alex called almost immediately: "President, I've sent the information you requested to your email."
"Okay, I got it." Charles hung up and quickly opened his computer, finding the email Alex sent.
As soon as he looked at it, Charles was completely stunned!
Charles touched the photo of the two people on the screen, muttering to himself, "How is this possible? How can they look exactly the same?"
On Charles's computer screen appeared the information Alex had gathered overnight.
One had to admit the power and influence of the Yin Consortium were truly formidable.
Just from Lydia Lin's casual remarks, Charles had already sensed something and immediately ordered Alex to investigate Max Mo.
While Alex was investigating Max Mo, he unexpectedly discovered that Max had a deceased fiancée who looked exactly like Cecilia Gu.
This discovery shocked Alex so much he almost thought he was seeing things.
Alex went ahead and investigated the background of Max Mo's late fiancée.
Nora Yun, calculated to be twenty-three years old now, was the eldest daughter of the Yun Family.
She was frail and sickly since childhood, engaged to Max Mo four years ago, but passed away at twenty-one due to illness.
After Nora's death, the Yun Family downsized their business and moved to a small city far away to recuperate.
Alex also looked up Nora Yun's entire life story.
When Charles read this report, he couldn't help but sigh at how fate seemed to envy beauty.
In the photos, Nora Yun had the exact same features as Cecilia Gu, but her aura was completely different.
She was like an orchid in a secluded valley, pure and holy.
Her life may have ended at twenty-one, but she won many international awards. One of her paintings even sold overseas for tens of millions of dollars.
She was fluent in eight languages, skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and song—there was nothing she couldn't do.
No wonder she was hailed as the unparalleled goddess of M University during her college days.
Compared to Nora Yun, Cecilia Gu was like an ugly duckling living in the dust.
Sensitive and awkward.
If you described them as clouds and mud, then Nora Yun was the lofty cloud, while Cecilia Gu was the mud trampled underfoot.
It seemed Max Mo approached Cecilia Gu with another motive after all.
Charles's eyes darkened as his fingers tapped restlessly on the desk.
That silly girl—did she even know what Max Mo was planning?
Was Max Mo interested in Cecilia Gu just because she looked so much like Nora Yun?
Such a clueless little mole, and yet he still worried about her.
Just thinking about that photo, Charles couldn't help but feel a surge of anger.
He had investigated Max Mo after the fact, and during the two years since Nora Yun's death, Max's life had been so spotless it was almost frightening.
And now, he suddenly appeared in Newport City...
Was that just a coincidence?
The next morning, as soon as daylight broke.
Cecilia Gu woke up groggily and glanced at her alarm clock—already past eight o'clock.
She hurriedly sat up.
She still had to go to work today.
She'd been on leave for a while, but now that she was back, of course she had to continue working.
Although her mother was finally free from the Gu Family, she hadn't saved a penny for retirement over the years.
Sooner or later, she would have to leave the Yin family.
Leaving the Yin family would mean she could no longer work at the Yin Consortium.
So while she was still able, she had to earn and save as much as possible.
Cecilia got out of bed quickly and took a fast shower.
Her personal assistant heard her getting up, knocked on the door, and asked, "Young Madam, where are you going today?"
"Get my work clothes ready, I'm going to the company." Cecilia replied, "And Charles Yin... where is he?"
Cecilia's words faltered, her lack of confidence obvious.
Last night, Charles Yin hadn't come to rest at all.
It seemed he was using this tactic to make her realize her place.
She wouldn't act spoiled anymore, and would retreat to the place that truly belonged to her.
Any money she needed, she'd earn with her own hands!
"The President has already gone to the company," the assistant replied quickly. "Young Madam, aren't you going to take a few days off?"
"No need," Cecilia said, taking the outfit her assistant had picked out and heading straight to the dressing room to change.
She reached out and touched her belly. It was still flat, but the muscles had already softened a lot due to pregnancy. It wouldn't be long before her bump started to show.
After breakfast, a driver soon arrived to take Cecilia to the company.
Back at work again, Cecilia felt like something had changed.
The employees who knew about her relationship with Charles were all at headquarters. The Newport City branch probably didn't know, right?
With anxious thoughts, Cecilia entered the company building and pressed the elevator button to go upstairs.
"Cecilia..." Before the elevator even arrived, someone called out to her from behind.
Cecilia turned in response and saw Rona Muir, whom she hadn't seen since their last parting, hurrying toward her.
"Rona?" Cecilia looked at her in surprise. "What brings you here?"
(Skip: This line is not relevant to the novel narrative and is a website prompt.)
Rona Muir straightened her G-cup chest and replied, "I got sent here by our boss!"
"Your boss?" Cecilia exclaimed in surprise. "Didn't your boss already sign a contract with Charles?"
"Yeah!" Rona sighed. "This time I'm just here to watch. Hey, don't tell me you haven't heard that Max Mo from Mo Corporation is already here."
Seeing Cecilia's confused expression, Rona rolled her eyes and said, totally unladylike, "Alright, you don't need to worry about company stuff right now. Just focus on taking care of yourself."
Maybe it was because they'd both seen each other at their worst, but the relationship between Cecilia and Rona had subtly become more intimate.
"I haven't been back to the company in a while. I was on leave and went home for a bit," Cecilia explained, then asked, "Why is Max Mo here at the Yin Consortium?"
Rona Muir is Vice President of Odyssey Corporation—she must know some inside information!
"Seems like he's here to discuss a partnership with the Yin Consortium," Rona said in a low voice. "Do you know anything about Mo Corporation?"
Cecilia shook her head in confusion.
Just then, the elevator arrived. The two of them stepped inside, with their assistants quietly standing by.
Rona explained leisurely, "Mo Corporation's rapid rise in the country is partly due to Max Mo's extraordinary talent, but also because the Mo Family has connections in the military and government. Now you understand?"
Cecilia still looked confused.
The Yin Consortium had always stayed outside the military and political system.
It was said this was the Yin family's ancestral rule.
Now, were they about to break that rule?
Rona continued, "Max Mo's grandfather is still in office. Now do you get it?"
"No, I still don't get it," Cecilia replied, still looking confused.
Rona couldn't help but roll her eyes again. "How did Charles Yin end up with such a clueless wife? Fine—Max Mo may be an independent businessman, but his status isn't measured by money alone. Now do you get it? When he does business, people value his political standing even more than his commercial status. Do you understand now?"
Suddenly, Cecilia understood.
She remembered a casual conversation with Charles Yin, where she'd heard that the Yin family also had connections to the military and political system—but with foreign systems.
That's one of the reasons Charles spent so much time abroad over the years.
Because of this political sensitivity, the Yin family had always kept a clean distance from domestic military and government circles.
Cecilia agreed with that approach.
The Yin family's ancestors really were farsighted.
But if that's the case, why is the Yin Consortium joining forces with the Mo Family?
Max Mo's visit—was it a blessing or a curse?
Rona guessed that Cecilia had reached this conclusion, and lowered her voice, "That's exactly why our boss sent me here to watch the show. I want to see what kind of sparks will fly when two business titans collide."
Rona gave a meaningful smile, but Cecilia couldn't shake off a sense of foreboding.
She just felt that things weren't that simple.
When the elevator arrived, Cecilia and Rona walked over together.
Charles Yin's assistants saw Cecilia and Rona approaching and immediately greeted them, "Young Madam, Vice President Muir!"
"Didn't I say? In the company, just use my position," Cecilia said with a wry smile. "I'm here to work today, not as Young Madam."
"Yes, Team Leader," Charles's assistant replied. "The President said, once you arrive, please head straight to the meeting room."
Rona joked with a smile, "Charles Yin is something else! He actually guessed we'd show up."
Cecilia smiled along but said nothing.
The two of them turned and went straight to the meeting room.
They knocked on the door and stepped into the meeting room.
"President... Good morning, Mr. Mo," Cecilia greeted softly.
Rona nodded and greeted, "Good morning, both of you!"
Max Mo responded politely.
Charles's gaze quickly landed on Cecilia, but then shifted away, asking Rona, "Vice President Muir, are you interested in this matter too?"