The Lu penthouse was unusually quiet that morning.
Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a warm glow over the breakfast table where Liyana sat, absentmindedly stirring her tea. Damien was reviewing a contract beside her, but every few seconds, his gaze flickered toward her profile.
Her phone buzzed again.
Another gossip article. Another twisted headline.
"Ice Queen's Engagement Built on Pity?""Xu Heiress Sabotages Old Friend's Career?"
The slander wasn't as loud as before — not after Zhen and Ruoxi's public confrontation with Qin — but it still crept in like poison through the cracks.
"I can handle it," Liyana murmured, sensing Damien's gaze. "Really."
"I know you can." Damien set the tablet aside and reached for her hand. "But you shouldn't have to."
Before she could respond, her phone buzzed again — but this time, it was a message from Mira.
Mira:You might want to check Aiden's page.
Liyana blinked.
Aiden Zheng hadn't posted anything in weeks. Despite being a global sensation, he maintained a quiet, curated social presence. When he did speak — people listened.
Opening the app, she nearly dropped her phone.
There it was.
A long, personal message from Aiden, pinned to the top of his profile. A professional photo of Liyana during a Celeste runway event accompanied it, but the caption was what stunned her:
"Some people try to dim others to shine brighter. But Liyana Xu? She's never needed to hurt anyone to rise. I've worked with her. I've learned from her. She lifted people with her, not stepped over them. Enough lies. Enough headlines. Truth matters. #StandWithLiyana"
Below it were millions of likes, reposts, and supportive comments. A wave of public sentiment was shifting — again — but this time in her favor.
More importantly, it wasn't coming from her.It was Aiden's voice, used strategically and sincerely.
Damien raised an eyebrow as he looked over her shoulder. "Well… looks like your knight in glittering spotlight stepped in."
Liyana rolled her eyes. "He's a friend."
"Mhmm."
She ignored the smirk Damien didn't bother hiding.
Moments later, Mira burst into the penthouse, breathless and holding her tablet.
"Did you see it?! The whole thing went viral within twenty minutes. Three of the biggest gossip outlets have already taken down their old articles — and look." She flipped the tablet around. "Aiden's lawyers issued takedown notices to every site still running black PR."
Liyana blinked. "He hired lawyers?"
Mira nodded quickly. "Not just any lawyers. High-profile entertainment legal team. They're not just going after false content — they're tracking the origin of the rumors."
Damien leaned back in his chair. "Aiden Zheng doesn't do anything halfway, does he?"
Mira blushed faintly, then cleared her throat. "He's… always been principled. He doesn't forget those who were good to him."
The mention carried weight — everyone in the room remembered how Liyana had supported Aiden during a contract scandal years ago, helping him quietly break from a predatory agency. She had asked for no credit then. But now?
He was returning the favor — publicly, powerfully, and with surgical precision.
—
That evening, at the Celeste HQ conference room, Aiden finally walked in — tall, elegant, wearing a casual jacket over a designer shirt, his expression calm as usual.
Liyana stood to greet him, and Mira followed a few steps behind.
"You didn't have to do all that," Liyana said softly.
Aiden tilted his head. "I know I didn't. But I wanted to."
He paused, then glanced at Mira. "It's not just about you anymore. She's affected too."
Mira blinked. "Me?"
Aiden stepped forward and handed her a printed folder — a list of gossip blog drafts that had mentioned Mira's name, linking her falsely to scandals involving Qin's staff.
"These didn't go public yet," he said. "But they were queued. You were next."
Mira went pale.
Liyana's expression darkened. "They were targeting Mira too?"
Aiden nodded. "Anyone close to you was fair game. Even me. But I can take it. She shouldn't have to."
There was a moment of silence — heavy, intense — until Mira stepped forward and whispered, "Thank you."
Aiden looked down at her, his voice softer than usual. "I told you. I've got your back."
From the hallway, Xieren paused — just short of entering.
He had come to deliver a contract update. But seeing Mira's soft expression, Aiden's protective stance, and the quiet tension between them — something twisted in his chest.
He didn't say a word. He simply turned away, the papers crumpling slightly in his hand.
Later that night, Liyana stood alone on the penthouse balcony, scrolling through social media.
Damien joined her, wrapping an arm around her waist. "You've got quite the team behind you."
"I never asked for this kind of war," she murmured.
"I know," he said. "But you won't fight it alone."
She leaned into his shoulder. "Aiden was amazing today."
"He was," Damien agreed. Then after a pause, smirking again, "Still not inviting him to the honeymoon, though."
Liyana laughed — for the first time in days.