CHAPTER 122: CHAPTER 122 PRESS CONFERENCE

Serena’s POV

I glanced at Ryan as he took my car keys from my hand.

"I’ll have someone continue investigating Lucian," he said, opening the passenger door for me with surprising gentleness. "Just remember what I told you—try to avoid meeting him alone."

As I slid into the seat, I heard Ryan mutter under his breath, "That man had the audacity to treat you like his personal driver. He truly doesn’t know his place."

I couldn’t help but smile a little at his irritation.

The fact that Ryan was upset someone had "used" me when he himself would never do such a thing was almost... sweet, in his own possessive way.

Over the next few weeks, I personally oversaw every detail of the joint collaboration with Celestial Gems.

Every sketch, every prototype, every marketing plan—nothing escaped my attention. I wanted this partnership to be flawless.

But when Lucian invited me out again, something felt different. I couldn’t shake Ryan’s warnings from my mind.

These meetings were becoming suspiciously frequent. Why would a man with Lucian’s international business portfolio have so much free time to spend in New York?

And why spend it with me, under the thin guise of "collaboration discussions"?

I kept my face carefully neutral as I slid into the seat across from him, despite the questions tumbling through my mind.

"Mr. West, I apologize for being late. Traffic was terrible," I explained politely.

Lucian barely acknowledged my apology with a casual nod, pushing a teacup toward me.

"Try this."

I lifted the delicate cup to my lips, inhaling the fragrant aroma before taking a small sip. The flavor was distinct—high-quality Dragon Well tea harvested before the spring rains. Even with my limited tea knowledge, I recognized its exceptional quality.

"It’s excellent," I admitted.

A smile played at his lips. "You introduced me to grinding coffee beans last time. Now I’m introducing you to fine tea. Consider it returning the favor."

My suspicions deepened. Was this meeting really about work, or something else? Ryan’s warnings echoed in my mind, making everything Lucian did seem loaded with hidden meaning.

"How’s your overseas business, Mr. West?" I asked casually. "You’ve been in New York quite a while now. Remote management must be challenging."

Lucian’s eyes flicked up to mine, studying me for a moment before answering with practiced ease.

"It’s manageable. Being in New York is something of a vacation for me."

"A vacation?" I laughed lightly. "I find that hard to believe. Men like you don’t simply take extended vacations."

My tone had grown increasingly formal, and I noticed Lucian’s eyebrows draw together slightly.

Our relationship had developed into something almost friendly during previous meetings, but now I was deliberately creating distance, reverting to how we’d interacted when we first met.

Lucian seemed to notice the change but didn’t comment on it. Instead, he smoothly changed subjects, engaging me in conversation about jewelry industry trends. Despite myself, I relaxed a little as we discussed our shared passion.

"The collaboration is nearly ready, Mr. West," I said, steering the conversation back to business.

He nodded, suddenly serious. "I’m planning a launch event for next week."

"Perfect. I’ll arrange my schedule accordingly."

After discussing a few more details about the event, we prepared to leave. Lucian offered to drive me back to the studio, but I declined.

"I drove myself here. No need to trouble yourself."

"Serena," he said, using my first name with surprising intimacy, "I actually wanted to apologize for what happened last time."

I blinked in confusion. "I’m sorry?"

"Mr. Blackwood is clearly... significant in your life. The situation last time was awkward. I was concerned it might have caused problems between you two."

I shook my head. "You’re overthinking it, Mr. West."

His eyes glinted with something I couldn’t quite read. "I’ve been in New York for some time now and never heard about your deep connection with Mr. Blackwood. That’s why the misunderstanding occurred."

My pulse quickened. Why did Lucian keep circling back to Ryan? His persistent interest in my relationship made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

"Ryan and I have a... complicated history," I said carefully. "But then again, relationships between adults are always complex, aren’t they?"

Lucian smiled. "Indeed. But remember, if you ever need assistance with anything, please contact me. We’re friends now, aren’t we?"

Friends. The word felt strange coming from a business partner—especially one I barely knew.

"Yes," I agreed, keeping my voice light while my mind raced.

When I returned to the studio, I immediately asked Maya to discreetly investigate Lucian’s activities in New York. There had to be more to his extended stay than our collaboration.

Maya’s investigation, careful as it was, apparently alerted Lucian. But I didn’t know that then.

What I did know was that Lucian West had ulterior motives—I just couldn’t figure out what they were.

The day of the launch event arrived with all the glitz and glamour you’d expect. Camera flashes created a constant strobe effect as journalists crowded the venue.

I arrived with Maya and several designers from our team, feeling the weight of how important this collaboration was for Dreamland’s future.

Lucian’s influence in New York was substantial—the event was packed with industry insiders who had come to show their support for Celestial Gems.

As I scanned the room, I noticed several familiar faces—competitors who’d lost the bid for this collaboration. My stomach tightened. Their presence here couldn’t be a coincidence.

Maya leaned close to my ear. "These vultures never miss an opportunity. They’re probably hoping to cozy up to Mr. West now."

I kept my expression neutral. "Today should go smoothly regardless. Let’s not give them any attention."

"Got it."

Once the event began, Lucian and I took the stage together to introduce our collaborative collection.

I gripped the microphone, watching as models showcased our creations while lights and music created the perfect atmosphere.

The beautiful jewelry pieces captured everyone’s attention, exactly as I’d hoped.

"This collaborative collection that Mr. West and I created is themed ’Moonlight,’" I announced, my voice steady despite my nerves. "We hope that Celestial Gems and Dreamland Jewelry will shine eternally like the moon in the night sky."

Applause erupted as cameras captured the moment between Lucian and me—a perfect symbol of our successful partnership.

Lucian reached for a bottle of champagne, preparing to pop it open in celebration. But before he could, a disruptive voice rose from the audience.

"Mr. West, was there something special behind this unusually smooth collaboration?"

Another voice chimed in: "Several design studios in New York competed for this opportunity, but we heard you immediately selected Dreamland Jewelry. Were you and Ms. Quinn previously acquainted?"

The previously harmonious atmosphere shattered instantly. Murmurs spread through the crowd like wildfire.

Lucian and I looked toward the source—entertainment reporters, always hunting for scandalous headlines.

Lucian took the microphone, answering with professional detachment. "Ms. Quinn and I weren’t previously acquainted. Celestial Gems chose Dreamland Jewelry because I valued Ms. Quinn’s unique design aesthetic and Dreamland’s reputation in New York."

That should have been enough, but the reporter persisted.

"There are rumors that you two developed feelings for each other during this collaboration. Is that true?"