Kai watched from his office as Li Wei unpacked the folder at his desk. Charts, project files, and a personal note outlining expectations for a high-profile client meeting. But the real message was hidden in plain sight: Kai knew more than he let on.
Li Wei was intelligent enough to recognize the subtle tests sprinkled throughout the documents. Each one challenged him, nudged him closer to a line he wasn't sure he wanted to cross. And yet, he couldn't resist.
"You're unusually sharp," Kai said, appearing in the doorway like a shadow, dark suit immaculately pressed. "Most new hires can't navigate Silver Tower without stumbling. You… haven't stumbled once."
Li Wei looked up, heart hammering. "I suppose I like puzzles."
Kai's lips twitched. That small, rare smile—it made Li Wei's pulse race. "Just remember, not all puzzles are meant to be solved."
Over the next days, the tension between them intensified. Meetings, emails, stolen glances—they existed in a constant dance of proximity and distance. Li Wei felt the pull, the dangerous thrill of attracting Kai's attention. He joked with colleagues, but his mind constantly drifted to the CEO whose icy demeanor melted in fleeting moments when he was alone.
But there were whispers in the office. Something about Li Wei's past, a connection no one yet understood. And Kai, with his encyclopedic knowledge of corporate and personal secrets, seemed to know more than he let on.
Late one night, Li Wei lingered in the office, reviewing client data. The hum of the city below was a lullaby, until he felt a presence behind him.
"You're staying late again," Kai's voice cut through the silence.
Li Wei's pulse quickened. "I like to be thorough."
Kai's gaze lingered. "Careful. You may uncover things better left hidden."
Li Wei smiled faintly, but inside, a shiver ran through him. Something told him this warning was personal.
When Li Wei returned to his apartment, he found a message scrawled on his mirror in lipstick: "Stop looking, or the consequences will find you."