The Storm Before The Storm
A Playful Game of Flirting & Denial
Inside the sleek executive suite of LimTech Tower, Su Yan sat at the long conference table, focused on fine-tuning the final security protocols for Alpha AI. The soft glow of multiple screens cast a blue hue across her delicate features, her red hair tied up in a loose bun with a few strands falling messily over her face.
Across from her, Joshua Lim leaned back in his chair, watching her intently with an amused smirk.
"You know, Yan'er," Joshua mused, his deep voice breaking the silence, "for someone so serious about AI, you sure are cute when you concentrate."
Su Yan's fingers froze mid-typing. Her ears turned pink, but she quickly masked it with a scoff. "Who's cute? You think flattery will distract me?"
Joshua chuckled. "You say that, but you haven't denied it."
Su Yan shot him a glare but refused to meet his eyes. "Shut up and let me work."
But Joshua wasn't one to let things slide. He leaned forward and, in one smooth motion, wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her slightly toward him.
Su Yan gasped. "W-What are you doing?!"
Joshua smirked, his grip firm but playful. "Just testing a theory."
"What theory?!"
Joshua's lips curled into a teasing smile. "That despite all your tough talk, you don't actually mind this."
Su Yan's heart pounded in her chest. The warmth of his hand at her waist sent an unfamiliar shiver through her. She should have pushed him away. She should have scolded him.
Instead, she froze, unable to summon a proper response.
[System Notification: Su Yan Favorability +5 → (Total: 75)]
Joshua noticed her hesitation and leaned in slightly, his breath warm against her ear. "See? No resistance."
Finally, snapping out of it, Su Yan smacked his hand away and scooted back in her chair, glaring at him. "Y-You shameless pervert! Hands off!"
Joshua chuckled, raising his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. But I'll take that reaction as a win."
Su Yan turned back to her screen, pretending to focus, but her racing heartbeat betrayed her.
Damn it… why does he always get under my skin?
The Call That Changed Everything
Before she could calm down, Joshua's phone buzzed on the table between them.
Su Yan glanced at it instinctively—her stomach twisted when she saw the caller ID:
Jia Yi ❤️
Her expression faltered.
Joshua picked up the phone without hesitation, standing up and casually walking out to take the call.
Left alone, Su Yan gripped her tablet tightly.
"He's… with Jia Yi, isn't he?"
She had always told herself that it didn't matter. That Joshua's love life was none of her business.
But why did it suddenly feel like a knife twisting in her chest?
She tried to shake the feeling off.
No, this is ridiculous. He's just my boss. My friend. Nothing more.
But the thought lingered.
If it's nothing, why does it bother me so much?
[System Notification: Su Yan Favorability -3 → (Total: 72)]
Titan Dynamics' Betrayal & Joshua's Counterattack
Before Su Yan could spiral any further into her thoughts, Joshua strode back into the room, his teasing smile replaced by cold, calculating sharpness.
"Su Yan," he said, his voice serious. "Turn on the news."
She blinked, momentarily caught off guard by his shift in demeanor. "Huh?"
"Just do it."
She quickly pulled up the live news feed on the conference room's large screen.
At that moment, Robert Grayson, the CEO of Titan Dynamics, appeared on the broadcast, standing at a grand press conference.
"We at Titan Dynamics are proud to introduce our latest AI model—Nova. This revolutionary leap in artificial intelligence has been developed entirely in-house by our brilliant engineers. Nova is the future."
The visuals on the screen showed a demonstration of Nova AI.
Su Yan's breath caught in her throat.
It was an exact copy of Alpha.
The designs, the response time, the neural processing speed—everything was identical.
Those bastards had stolen their work.
Su Yan slammed the table. "That's our AI! Those thieves—!"
Joshua, however, remained eerily calm.
"Su Yan," he said, looking directly into her eyes. "Do you trust me?"
Su Yan's anger wavered as she met his gaze.
"…Yes," she admitted, despite the whirlwind of emotions inside her.
Joshua's smirk returned. "Then watch how I destroy them."
The Counterattack Begins
Joshua's fingers flew over his keyboard as he executed his pre-planned counteroffensive.
✔ Step 1: The Leaked Documents
Within minutes, LimTech's legal team released internal Titan emails showing their attempts to bribe LimTech engineers into selling confidential data.
✔ Step 2: Exposing Nova's Code
Joshua had Alpha run a real-time analysis against Nova, revealing that over 90% of Nova's code was a direct copy of Alpha's neural network.
✔ Step 3: The Public Challenge
In an act of absolute dominance, Joshua hacked into the live broadcast of Titan's press conference and issued a worldwide challenge:
"Robert Grayson, if Nova is truly your creation, then let's prove it in a public battle. Alpha versus Nova. If Nova wins, I'll acknowledge Titan Dynamics as the superior AI company. But if Alpha wins… I expect a public apology and immediate withdrawal from the AI industry."
The internet exploded.
#TitanExposed and #LimTechVsTitan began trending within minutes.
Titan Dynamics' stocks nosedived, investors panicked, and the industry turned against them.
Su Yan watched everything unfold with wide eyes, her chest tightening with overwhelming admiration.
He actually did it… He turned the entire world against them in a single day.
For the first time, she wasn't just impressed by Joshua.
She was in awe of him.
And that realization terrified her.
[System Notification: Su Yan Favorability +8 → (Total: 80)]
The Storm Within Su Yan
Su Yan clenched her fists, conflicted beyond belief.
"He's incredible… but… he's already with Jia Yi, isn't he?"
"Maybe I was too late. Maybe I was just fooling myself thinking I ever had a chance."
You don't love him, Su Yan. You can't.
…Right?
But deep down, she knew the truth.
She loved him.
And now, she had to decide what to do about it.