Ivy was settling into her routine at the office, her mind still buzzing with thoughts of the cryptic note from the previous day. She had barely managed to sleep, haunted by the idea that something much bigger was at play. But today, she was determined to focus on her work and push the paranoia aside, at least for now.
Her fingers moved across the keyboard, typing up an email, when her phone buzzed. She glanced down to see an incoming call from an unknown number. Her heart skipped a beat. She hesitated for a moment before answering.
"Ivy," a familiar voice came through, calm but commanding.
"Mr. Lu?" Ivy sat up straighter, suddenly alert.
"Come to my office," Lu Cheng's voice was curt and direct, sending a shiver down her spine. Without waiting for a response, the line clicked dead.
Ivy swallowed nervously, her mind racing. What could he want? Did this have something to do with the note? Or worse, did he somehow know about her suspicions?
She stood from her desk, smoothing out her blouse with shaky hands before making her way toward Lu Cheng's office. The hallway felt longer than usual, every step echoing louder than it should. When she reached his door, she hesitated for a moment, bracing herself.
With a soft knock, she opened the door and stepped inside. Lu Cheng was sitting behind his large mahogany desk, his sharp eyes focused on a stack of papers. His presence was intimidating, as always, and Ivy couldn't help but feel small in comparison.
"You called for me, sir?" Ivy asked, trying to keep her voice steady.
Lu Cheng didn't look up immediately. Instead, he tapped a finger against the papers in front of him, his expression unreadable behind the mask he always wore. Then, slowly, he raised his eyes to meet hers.
"Yes," he said, his tone cool and authoritative. "I have a business trip scheduled, and you'll be accompanying me."
Ivy blinked, taken aback by the sudden announcement. "A business trip? Me?"
"Is there a problem with that?" His tone sharpened just slightly, making her flinch.
"No, no problem at all, sir," Ivy quickly replied, forcing a smile even though her mind was racing. "It's just... sudden."
Lu Cheng stood, walking around his desk with slow, deliberate steps. His tall, imposing figure loomed over her as he stopped just inches away. Ivy held her breath, her pulse quickening.
"I chose you because you've shown potential," he said, his voice low, almost like a warning. "This trip is important, and I need someone who can handle... sensitive matters."
Sensitive matters. Ivy's stomach churned. What was he talking about? What did he know?
"Of course, sir," she managed to say, hoping her voice didn't betray the anxiety building inside her. "I'll do my best."
Lu Cheng studied her for a long moment, his dark eyes piercing. Then he nodded once, sharply.
"We leave tomorrow morning," he said, turning back to his desk. "Prepare yourself."
Ivy stood there for a second longer, stunned, before nodding quickly. "Yes, sir. I'll be ready."
"Good," he said, his tone dismissive. "That will be all."
Without another word, Ivy turned on her heel and exited the office, her heart pounding in her chest. She couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right. This wasn't just a business trip, it felt like there was something more behind it, something he wasn't telling her.
As she returned to her desk, she tried to gather her thoughts. What was this trip really about? And why had he chosen her? Her instincts told her that this was connected to everything that had been happening, the interview with Lu Feng, the note, and now this sudden trip.
Ivy's phone buzzed again. It was a message from Pearl.
"Lunch later? We need to gossip about your mysterious CEO. "
Ivy couldn't help but smile at Pearl's timing. Maybe she could talk to her about all this, get her perspective before things got even more complicated.
But for now, she had to prepare herself for whatever was coming next. Because one thing was clear: this business trip wasn't going to be as simple as it seemed.