Chapter 1 Prologue

Lily Parker sat silently in a secluded corner of the departure lounge. Her right hand clutched her bag tightly, while her left intentionally pulled the brim of her hat down low, effectively shadowing more than half of her petite face.

Time dragged on relentlessly. With each tick of the clock, an unbearable weight pressed down on Lily. Her eyes refused to drift, and in truth, since she had gotten her boarding pass, she hadn't felt at ease for a single moment. She remained tense, so alert that even her breaths were cautiously held.

At last, the airport's PA system announced her flight was boarding. She heaved a sigh of relief, quickly scanning the vicinity with her peripheral vision. Rising, she tightened her trench coat and briskly walked to the boarding gate. Gripping her boarding pass anxiously, she waited in line, looking as though she wished to board immediately and escape this oppressive place.

When it was finally her turn, an airport staff member took her boarding pass and discreetly glanced at her face. With a professional smile, they said, "I'm sorry, Miss Parker, there seems to be a minor error with your boarding pass. Please wait in our VIP lounge. Rest assured, we'll resolve this quickly."

"How can this be?" Panic gripped Lily, her heart leaping into her throat. A foreboding sense made her instinctively decline: "Never mind, I won't take this flight..." Before she could finish, she swiftly turned to leave, but was stopped after only a couple of steps.

She slowly raised her gaze to the man who had intervened. Despair clouded her bright, grape-like eyes, and for a moment, words failed her. Shrinking back, tears welled up as she whispered, "James, please, let me go."

James, with his ever-expressionless face, responded in a steady tone, "Miss Parker, he's waiting for you." There was a hint of resignation, yet a clear disagreement with her actions. Attempting the impossible, could one really emerge unscathed?

With a soft thud, Lily's bag mechanically dropped onto the glossy marble tiles, reflecting her delicate yet drained face. Clutching the sides of her trench coat, her eyes looked helplessly at the stoic James, hoping for some mercy. But deep down, she knew she was merely clutching at straws.

"He's waiting for you?" What a joke. The word "waiting" would never be associated with someone as arrogant as him. People always waited on him, sought him out. When had anyone ever seen him wait for someone else? Was James indirectly telling her that the ever-superior Julian Sterling was upset with her audacity? And knowing him, probably more than just mildly irritated. After all, hadn't she tangled with such a formidable figure?

Lily Parker felt like a condemned prisoner, surrounded by nothing but despair. Her eyes were fixed on the tightly shut doors of the VIP lounge. Her legs felt as if they were filled with lead, unable to take another step. But whoever was inside was patient too. They were locked in a silent standoff separated by a thin barrier, and Lily knew, the one to lose would undoubtedly be her, and only her.

She tightened her body and gently pushed open the door. With just a glance, she saw Julian Sterling. He stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, his back to her, dressed in a meticulously tailored suit. The profile of his face was sharply defined, lips pressed thin, his expression so detached that it was inscrutable. Against the backdrop of a brightly lit white wall, his presence seemed even more brooding. The vast room echoed with only the faint sound of their breaths.

Lily stood by the door, not daring to take another step. She knew Julian, at this moment, was incredibly dangerous. Like a tempest in the dark night, he could easily engulf and obliterate her, snuffing out all her hope. Her fate had been in his hands for a long time.

She bit down on her lip so hard that it felt like it might bleed. Turmoil raged within her. "Lily Parker, why are you so wretched, so weak, so inept?" Just then, an airplane took off gracefully right before them, soaring freely towards the vast blue horizon. Tears formed in her eyes. Was that her flight? She was so close to freedom. Why wouldn't he just let her go? Hadn't he said he was tired of it all?

Lost in her thoughts, Julian elegantly turned to face her, a piercing gaze settled on her, his expression somewhere between amusement and mockery, but so dangerous that it sent a shiver down Lily's spine. She nervously watched him fidget with a paper airplane in his hand. His fingers moved delicately, but the sight inexplicably sent waves of panic through her. She couldn't muster a word.

Julian looked at Lily, her eyes red and tearful, reminiscent of a distressed little rabbit. He suddenly laughed, giving the paper airplane a gentle toss, and it wobbled down to land at Lily's feet.

Lily closed her eyes in despair. She recognized that piece of paper—it was her meticulously written application. A self-mocking thought hit her: How naive was she to think she could ever hide anything from him?

She had overestimated herself and underestimated Julian Sterling's capabilities.

In reality, he knew everything, but said nothing. He coolly observed, like watching a jesting clown, as Lily Parker excitedly yet nervously applied for permits, arranged paperwork, and purchased tickets these past days. Only when everything seemed settled, when she was filled with the immense hope that she could leave, did Julian Sterling, at the last possible moment, land a devastating blow. The bigger the hope, the greater the disappointment.