The clink of fine china and the occasional murmur of conversation filled the grand dining hall. To an outsider, the Lu family dinner seemed like nothing more than a pleasant gathering—casual discussions of business, occasional laughter, and the rhythmic exchange of dishes passed around the table.
But beneath the polished surface, the air was still thick with the weight of the earlier conversation.
The elders no longer spoke of marriage, as if the topic had been seamlessly brushed under the rug. But the way Madam Lu's gaze occasionally flickered toward Liyana, the way Grandfather Lu remained unusually contemplative, and the way Madam Xu's fingers traced the rim of her wine glass in silent thought—none of it escaped Liyana's notice.
It was as if the entire conversation had never happened.
And yet, it had.
Liyana focused on her plate, taking small, deliberate bites. Across from her, Damien looked as composed as ever, his usual air of nonchalance untouched by the heavy undercurrent running through the table. If anything, he seemed entirely at ease, as if rejecting a marriage proposal in front of their families was no more troublesome than discussing a minor business deal.
She shouldn't care.
And she didn't.
So why did his absolute certainty—that cool dismissal—still linger in the back of her mind?
"Liyana-jie," Meilin's voice broke through the quiet moment, her tone bright with excitement. "So about this weekend—"
Liyana lifted a brow. "What about it?"
Yuhan, who had been quietly eating, finally spoke. "You promised," he reminded her, though his voice lacked the dramatic energy of his sister's.
"I remember," Liyana said smoothly. "But what exactly do you two have planned?"
Meilin grinned. "A fun day out, of course! Shopping, a movie, and dinner at that new rooftop restaurant."
Yuhan added, "And maybe a drive out of the city. You've been too busy. It's time you take a break."
Liyana let out a small chuckle. "Sounds like you've planned everything already."
Meilin beamed. "Obviously."
Then, her gaze darted toward Damien, her eyes glinting with mischief. "What about you, Ge? Are you coming?"
Damien didn't even look up from his plate. "No."
"Ugh, you're so boring," Meilin sighed dramatically, nudging Yuhan. "See? He never joins us. No wonder he's still single."
Damien finally looked at her, unimpressed. "And you're still talking."
Meilin gasped, clutching her chest. "How cruel."
Yuhan smirked, stirring his soup. "She's right, though. You never join us when Liyana-jie is around."
"Because I have better things to do," Damien said dryly.
Meilin pouted, then turned back to Liyana. "Anyway, you'll come, right?"
Liyana smiled. "I did promise."
Meilin grinned. "Good! At least one of you isn't heartless."
Damien leaned back in his chair, unfazed. "You're being dramatic."
Meilin pointed a chopstick at him. "And you're being—"
Madam Lu cut in with a soft laugh. "Enough, Meilin. Let your brother eat in peace."
Meilin huffed but settled down, though the teasing amusement never fully left her face.
Liyana glanced at Damien then, catching the way he ignored the conversation entirely. It was always like this—him staying on the outskirts, as if refusing to be pulled into anything too personal.
She told herself it didn't matter.
As the meal neared its end, Madam Lu turned to Liyana with a gentle smile. "Liyana dear, why don't you stay here for the night?"
The suggestion was casual, spoken with warmth, but Liyana knew better.
"You know this house is like your second home," Madam Lu continued. "And it's late. There's no need for you to return to your villa when we have plenty of rooms here."
Liyana smiled, polite yet firm. "Thank you, Auntie, but I have an early meeting with a client tomorrow. I need to prepare."
Madam Lu's expression softened in understanding, but there was a flicker of something else—disappointment, perhaps?
"Work never stops for you, does it?" she mused.
Liyana chuckled. "Not when you're running an empire."
Grandfather Lu hummed. "Diligent as ever."
Damien, who had been silent during this exchange, finally spoke, his tone unreadable. "She never lets anything get in the way of business."
His words should have been neutral, but there was something about the way he said it—like he knew her too well, like he understood exactly why she was leaving.
Liyana met his gaze briefly before looking back at Madam Lu. "I'll visit again soon, I promise."
Meilin pouted but didn't argue, while Yuhan simply nodded in understanding.
With that, the conversation shifted once more. But even as they moved on, Liyana could feel the weight of it lingering.
Madam Lu's hopeful suggestion.Damien's unreadable gaze.And the unspoken truth—this wasn't just about tonight.
It was about distance.
And Liyana wasn't ready to bridge it.
Once Liyana left, the Xu family didn't linger much longer at the Lu residence. Her father and grandfather had business matters to attend to early in the morning, making it impractical to stay any later. However, just as the men were about to leave, Mother Xu and Grandma Xu exchanged knowing glances.
"We'll be staying the night," Mother Xu announced casually, turning to her husband.
Father Xu raised a brow. "You will?"
Madam Lu smiled. "Yes, we were just talking about it. It's been so long since we had a proper sleepover."
Grandfather Xu chuckled, shaking his head. "Aren't you all a little too old for sleepovers?"
Grandma Lu huffed. "Nonsense. This is just us catching up."
The men knew better than to argue. With a few words of farewell, Grandfather Xu and Father Xu left, leaving the four women behind.
As soon as they were gone, Grandma Xu leaned in, lowering her voice mischievously. "Now that the men aren't here, shall we talk about the real matters?"
Madam Lu's lips curved into a knowing smile. "I was hoping you'd say that."
Mother Xu let out a soft laugh, pouring herself another cup of tea. "So, what do we do about our stubborn children?"
The four women exchanged amused yet determined glances.
It was clear—they weren't giving up on this marriage anytime soon.
The moment the elders left for their own discussions, the dining room felt significantly quieter—except for the two pairs of eyes that were now locked onto Damien.
Lu Meilin and Lu Yuhan.
Damien barely had the chance to lean back in his chair when Meilin, with all the energy of a detective who had just cracked a case, slammed her hands against the table.
"Like a sister?!" she demanded, eyes ablaze with betrayal.
Damien exhaled, rubbing his temples. "We're not doing this."
"Oh, we are absolutely doing this!" Meilin shot back, standing up. She turned to Yuhan, who was stirring his tea with an infuriatingly amused expression. "Did you hear him, ge? He actually said it! With a straight face!"
Yuhan smirked. "I heard."
Meilin turned back to Damien, arms crossed. "You must be delusional."
Damien ignored her, reaching for his drink. "Meilin—"
"No, no, let me ask you something," she cut in, leaning over the table. "What kind of man looks at Liyana Xu, the most powerful, gorgeous, drop-dead stunning woman, and says, 'Oh yeah, she's like a sister to me'?"
Yuhan, ever the instigator, hummed. "A blind one?"
Meilin gasped dramatically. "Exactly! Damien-ge, are you blind?"
Damien took a slow sip of his drink before finally setting the glass down. "Are you two done?"
"Absolutely not," Meilin scoffed. "I mean, I get it. You're scared."
Damien's gaze flickered up, sharp and warning. "Scared?"
She nodded, completely undeterred. "Mhm. You and Liyana—both control freaks, both obsessed with winning, both absolutely allergic to admitting feelings. It makes sense why you'd rather shove her into 'sibling territory' than face the truth."
Yuhan, despite looking calm, was clearly entertained. "It does feel like an excuse."
Damien let out a slow breath, fingers tapping against the table. "Liyana and I grew up together. Our families are close. I respect her. That doesn't mean we should get married."
Meilin groaned. "Respect isn't the issue! The issue is that you're so emotionally constipated you can't even acknowledge what's right in front of you!"
Damien pushed his chair back and stood. "I'm calling my driver."
Yuhan sighed, amused. "Running away?"
"I have work," Damien replied smoothly, already dialing.
Meilin threw her hands up. "Oh, sure, 'work.' The most convenient excuse for a man who doesn't want to deal with his feelings."
Damien ignored them both as he stepped out of the dining hall. The Lu siblings, however, continued talking behind him.
Meilin leaned toward Yuhan. "I give it six months."
Yuhan arched a brow. "Six?"
"Okay, maybe three."
Damien didn't bother looking back. He had spent years perfecting the art of ignoring them.
But as he waited for his driver at the entrance of the Lu estate, the words still echoed in his mind.
Like a sister.
A blind one?
He exhaled sharply, dismissing the thought.
The car pulled up, and he got in.
"Where to, sir?" the driver asked.
Damien's gaze flickered toward the city skyline. Anywhere but here.
"Home."
And with that, the car disappeared into the night.