Shen Yifeng.

"Yes, President." Si Xi said with a smile. The entire marketing department was threatened by the President yesterday. How could they not complete it?

If they went home before completing the entire plan, they would be fired. If they failed to complete and submit it by today morning, they would be fired. If the President found any mistakes in the plan, they would be fired. If they did not report to work on time today, they would be fired.

The marketing department's people were scared to death at the President's threats. This was an extremely well paying job. No one in their right mind would want to lose it.

Moreover, if they were fired for this reason, this would be a black spot in their career. Maple was quite well-known and influential. Would others not know that the marketing dept. was fired for slacking off?

As such, all of them toiled till 3 a.m. in the morning and then went home. They hardly got any sleep as they had to report at 9:30 again. The entire company was shocked to see the ghostly looking people of the marketing dept. this morning.

Qi Mingxia took the file from Si Xi and took a look at it. The threats seemed to have worked magically, for the plan seemed quite good and there was nothing to object about. Qi Mingxia nodded in satisfaction.

"The people from Ning Enterprises would be arriving soon, President. The CEO Ning Feng would be leading the Ning side in the discussions." Si Xi said looking at her tablet. "All the related files are already on your desk."

"What about the publishing house?" Qi Mingxia asked. It was about one of the three proposals she was thinking about earlier. The proposal was good; however, Qi Mingxia placed a lot of importance on the people behind these proposals, and the head of this publishing house apparently met no one.

"We've been trying to reach the CEO, but they have been refusing a meeting saying the CEO never ever meets anyone." Si Xi felt weird. What kind of a CEO was he? It was fine if he wanted to keep a low profile. President Qi was like that too. But never meeting anyone?

Who would trust a company whose head was so ambiguous?

"Keep pushing them. It's a pretty good proposal so it would be a shame to let it go. But we also cannot take a decision without properly knowing the person who takes all the main decisions for that company." Qi Mingxia said. "I'm also thinking about accepting the proposal sent by Yang Corporation."

"Should we schedule a meeting with them, in that case?" Si Xi asked. Qi Mingxia shook her head. "I will tell you when." Qi Mingxia said, thinking about something.

The banquet was today and Yang Junjie's brother would be attending. She wanted to meet him outside of work first. She wanted to know what kind of person he was before they met at the negotiation table. That way, she felt, they would better prepared.

"Yes, President. By the way, the meeting with the Nings will be held in conference room one. There is about half an hour left for it." Si Xi said, noting in her tablet everything the President said.

"Alright."

*****

Qi Mingxia left Maple that day at 4:00 to drive to her home and get ready. She did not have a date. She would be driving herself and she had to reach before the guests to meet her Grandmother.

Entering her condo, she sat down on the sofa and took a deep breath. At this moment, she wished she did not have to go to the banquet and meet people. She wished she hadn't bought the red dress. She also wished she could just go to sleep.

She had been keeping herself busy. It made her feel very tired. And all that so she would not have time or energy to think about the man at the mall yesterday.

She felt absolutely pathetic. All that training. All that therapy. Everything went up in smoke with one look at his back. Qi Mingxia shook her head. It could not be like this. She could not afford to be weak like this.

She could never let him have a hold on her.

Closing her eyes, she thought of the moment she saw that back yesterday. Nine years. She was seeing that back after nine years. She knew him so well, she could tell from one single look. The picture in her mind shifted.

A face took its place. A very handsome face. Dark brown eyes, a perfect nose and thin lips. When he smiled, dimples formed in his face. Qi Mingxia was taken in by him from the very first time she saw him.

Shen Yifeng was that handsome.

And he was her fiancé.

It was all so dreamy. They were so happy. He would bring her flowers and pastries. He would laugh at her jokes even though they were not very funny. He was her man.

And then he became her doom. She watched helplessly as he set fire to her world. Ruined everything she held dear. Ruined her soul and her dignity.

Killed her parents.