Ivy had barely managed to get her mind off the strange occurrences at work when the next day hit her with a whole new level of chaos. It started innocently enough.
She walked into Spring Entertainment with her usual coffee in hand, mentally preparing herself for another round of avoiding awkward assistant encounters and possibly bumping into the enigmatic Lu Cheng.
As she made her way through the sleek lobby, she noticed the familiar faces of Lu Cheng's assistants, all gathered near the entrance to the CEO's office. They looked as serious as ever, their sharp suits making them look like they belonged more in a crime drama than an entertainment company. Ivy couldn't help but wonder what kind of top-secret information they guarded with such intensity.
Just as she was about to head to her desk, she overheard something that stopped her in her tracks.
"Today's the day we meet with him," one of the secretaries, Zhang Wei, murmured to another, his voice low but tinged with unease.
Ivy's heart skipped a beat. Who were they talking about? And why did they sound so... nervous?
Her curiosity, as always, got the best of her. She casually inched closer to the group, pretending to scroll through her phone, all while eavesdropping as best as she could.
"Is he really coming?" asked Chen Ming, the youngest secretary, his eyes wide with a mix of excitement and dread. "I heard he's even more strict than Mr. Lu."
"That's the rumor," Zhang Wei confirmed, running a hand through his hair. "If he doesn't like what he sees, heads are going to roll. We can't afford any mistakes."
Ivy's mind raced. More strict than Lu Cheng? Was that even possible? And who on earth were they talking about?
Before she could gather more information, the assistants suddenly snapped to attention. The air in the room shifted, and a tall figure strode into the lobby, flanked by his three male assistants . Ivy's eyes widened as she realized it was Lu Cheng himself, dressed in his usual impeccable suit and, as always, wearing his signature mask.
He didn't say a word, but his presence alone commanded the entire room. The assistants fell into formation behind him, like soldiers preparing for battle. Ivy quickly ducked behind a column, not wanting to draw attention to herself. She had never seen Lu Cheng like this, so intense, so... intimidating.
For a moment, Ivy's breath caught in her throat. The rumors about him being strict were true, but seeing him in action was something else entirely. His movements were precise, almost mechanical, as if every step was calculated. He moved with purpose, and Ivy couldn't help but feel like she was witnessing something important.
And then, as if the universe wanted to punish her for snooping, her phone rang.
Loudly.
In the dead-silent lobby.
Every pair of eyes, including Lu Cheng's, turned toward her. She fumbled with her phone, her hands shaking as she tried to silence the ringtone. Her heart raced as Lu Cheng's cold gaze settled on her. Even behind the mask, his intensity was undeniable.
"What are you doing here?" His voice was calm, but there was an edge to it that made Ivy's stomach flip.
"I-I was just... I was just on my way to my desk," she stammered, praying that her face wasn't as red as it felt.
There was a long, excruciating pause, and Ivy could swear she felt the assistants' judgmental stares burning into her back. Finally, Lu Cheng gave a small nod, signaling for her to leave. She didn't need to be told twice.
Ivy bolted from the lobby, her heart pounding in her chest. As soon as she was out of sight, she leaned against a wall, taking deep breaths to calm herself. What had just happened? And why did she feel like she had just narrowly escaped a death sentence?
But there was no time to dwell on her near-death experience. As she gathered herself and headed toward the elevator, she heard hushed voices coming from a nearby conference room. At first, she thought it was just more office chatter, but then she caught a familiar name.
"Lu Feng."
Ivy froze. That was Lu Cheng's twin brother. She hadn't seen him since that bizarre interview, but she hadn't forgotten the way he had toyed with her, pretending to be the CEO. She hadn't even realized he was back in the building.
Slowly, Ivy edged closer to the door, peeking through the crack to see who was inside. It was Lu Cheng, at least, she thought it was, but something was different. His posture was more relaxed, his movements less calculated.
Wait.
That wasn't Lu Cheng.
It was Lu Feng.
Ivy's heart skipped a beat. What was he doing here? And why was he dressed like his brother?
As if on cue, Lu Feng's voice echoed through the room. "You really need to lighten up, brother. Pretending to be you is way more fun than you think. You should try it sometime."
Ivy's jaw nearly hit the floor. She had been right. Lu Feng had been impersonating Lu Cheng during the interview. And from the sound of it, he was still playing games.
"Lu Feng, you need to stop this," came Lu Cheng's voice, stern and unyielding. "You can't keep pretending to be me. The company can't afford your recklessness."
Lu Feng just laughed, his tone playful yet dangerous. "Come on, big brother. What's the harm in a little fun? No one can tell the difference between us anyway. Besides, don't you get tired of being the perfect, untouchable CEO?"
Lu Cheng didn't respond, but the tension in the room was palpable. Ivy could practically feel the weight of their unspoken rivalry. It was clear that while they shared the same face, their personalities were worlds apart.
"Just stick to your business trips and secret meetings," Lu Feng continued, his voice dripping with mockery. "Leave the fun stuff to me."
Ivy didn't dare stay any longer. She backed away from the door, her mind racing. The tension between the twins was more intense than she had ever imagined, and now she was caught right in the middle of it.
As she stepped into the elevator, Ivy couldn't shake the feeling that things at Spring Entertainment were about to get a whole lot more complicated.