A few days later,
In a private gym owned by the company Black Dragon Group, Shen was busy working out as usual.
Dressed in a black sport tank and black sport pants, he was sprinting on the treadmill, sweat dripping down his temples.
"Hoff, hoff, hoff…"
His headphones were set on shuffle, blasting tracks ranging from the 1900s to the 2010s. Shen's rhythm was steady, his breathing deep and controlled, each foot striking the machine with force.
While he was working out, Xin Yin Jin entered the gym. As professional as always, the executive secretary carried herself with calm poise, her heels clicking softly against the polished floor before she set them aside, switching to flats for comfort. She always remained by Shen Goddem's side, and today was no different.
She approached him and waited until he slowed down his pace. With a swipe across the treadmill screen, Shen brought the machine to a gradual stop. He pulled off his headphones, catching his breath.
"Boss," Yin Jin said smoothly, "this week is the gala. The Queen of London is coming to Malaysia to attend the ceremony."
"Wasn't it supposed to be a private dinner, Yin Jin?" Shen asked as he stepped down from the treadmill, rolling his shoulders to ease the strain.
She tossed him a fresh towel, which he used to wipe the sweat from his neck and arms, before she handed him a bottle of cold water.
"Thanks." He cracked the seal and took a long sip.
"Anytime, boss," she replied with a faint smile. "Back to the matter at hand. Yes, it was supposed to be a private dinner. But she made a last-minute change—now she wants to hold a gala."
Shen raised a brow, clearly confused. He ran the towel across his face, then draped it over his shoulder.
"Strange. The Queen never changes a last-minute schedule. She's always been the 'on-the-spot follow-through' type of person."
Xin Yin Jin nodded, sharing in his confusion.
"Well, I got a small intel leak that she's going to announce something good."
"Anything else, Yin Jin?" Shen asked, tilting his head slightly as he reached for his phone on the bench.
"Yes, boss—the invites. Here is yours."
Xin Yin Jin handed him an envelope with a graceful motion.
"What about you?" Shen asked, looking at her with curiosity.
Xin Yin Jin chuckled and gestured for him to open it. Shen carefully tore the seal, sliding the card out.
His eyes narrowed as he read the print. Both their names were written on it—but as attendees, they were listed as a couple.
"What in the F-word…?" Shen muttered, his tone caught between disbelief and annoyance.
"Puhahaha!" Xin Yin Jin burst into laughter, holding her stomach as she tried to catch her breath. "The Queen must have assumed we were a couple. I guess she doesn't know you're married, boss."
Her laughter echoed in the gym, almost mocking but in a light-hearted way. Shen just sighed, shaking his head.
Once she calmed down, Yin Jin cleared her throat and continued.
"Also, boss, the other invites. The Monroes, Tuckers, Deva, Rolion, Qin, Fa, Hon, and…"
Her words trailed off. She froze, eyes widening as she scanned the tablet in her hand.
Noticing her reaction, Shen's brows furrowed.
"What is it?"
He stepped closer, his shadow overlapping hers. Without waiting, he took the tablet from her hands, his gaze scanning down the list until it fell on the final name.
The Ugan Family.
"Well…" Shen muttered.
"Shit," Xin Yin Jin finished for him, both of them staring at the tablet in uneasy silence.
Later at the Monroe Company, a household name known for their top-notch sales in home equipment.
Ryona was seated in the conference room with the rest of the family, papers stacked neatly in front of her.
Her grandfather, Jhon Monroe, sat at the head of the long oak table. He leaned back into his easy chair, a man who carried both age and authority.
"Listen up, you lads,"
Jhon said, his voice gravelly but commanding.
"I may be sixty, but I can still see things clearer than most of you. And in my sixty years of life, never have I seen a day like this one."
The family exchanged confused glances, whispering quietly to each other. Jhon's excitement was unusual. With a deliberate gesture, he placed a sealed envelope on the polished table.
"The Monroe Family has been invited to the gala—hosted by the Queen of London herself."
Gasps erupted around the room. The Monroe family was well-established, but to be invited to such a prestigious event was beyond expectation.
"But that's not all,"
Jhon continued, raising a hand to quiet the murmurs. He paused for dramatic effect, twisting his hand as if holding a secret too heavy to contain.
"It's been confirmed that Shen Goddem—founder and chairman of the Black Dragon Group, the most powerful multinational company in investment and trading—will be attending as the Queen's special guest."
The room went silent. For a moment, no one dared breathe. Then whispers rippled through the family like a storm.
"But Father,"
Spoke Foni Monroe, Ryona's aunt and sister to her mother, Hana Monroe. She leaned forward, brows furrowed.
"Isn't Shen Goddem a figure one should never trample with? I heard he's only twenty-five—a young man indeed. But to accomplish such a feat is… incredible."
"Yes, indeed. Hell, we've never even seen Shen Goddem's face cause he's not very fond of crowded event."
Jhon replied, nodding slowly.
"Which is why I'm giving you all a chance. If anyone—anyone—manages to secure a deal, a contact, or even the smallest connection with Shen Goddem, he or she will be promoted to the Strategic Planning Team."
Shock spread through the lower branches of the family. Ryona felt it too, her heart pounding.
She had always been confined to her little cube as a desk worker in the family's company, barely acknowledged. But now, for the first time, an opportunity stood in front of her.
Something stirred inside her. She wanted to prove herself. Yet deep down, her heart ached with a secret—one no one else in the room knew.
She loves Shen Tucker. And the man she had married, Shen Tucker, was actually Shen Goddem himself. She just doesn't know yet.
When the meeting finally dispersed, Ryona remained seated for a moment, gathering her notes.
Across the hall, Carol Monroe stood with her mother, Foni. Carol smirked as she spotted Ryona and strutted over, heels clicking sharply.
"Hey, cousin," Carol said sweetly, though her eyes were sharp. "I recommend you sit this one out."
She shoved Ryona lightly on the shoulder, tugging her toward the corner with mocking playfulness.
"Let me spell it out for you. Reality check—you're never getting into that gala. Look at you, Cinderella. Who are you gonna call? Your fairy fucking godmother?"
Foni chuckled from where she stood, clearly entertained by her daughter's ridicule.
Ryona's jaw tightened. She lifted her chin and spoke firmly, her southern accent slipping through.
"Sorry, but I've got no interest in that lousy, arrogant rich-people stuff. I may be a southern gal, but at least I know my respect and dignity."
She took a step closer to Carol, forcing her cousin to backpedal a little. For a moment, Carol thought Ryona had finally grown a backbone. But then she snorted, flipping her hair dismissively.
"Oh please, you southern sugar bitch. You ain't got nothing going on with that accent."
She brushed past Ryona with a sharp toss of her hair, but glanced over her shoulder one last time, smirking.
"Face it, loser. You might have a man, but deep down? Shen Goddem will fall at my feet. Because I've got the looks, the body, and the style."
Her laughter echoed down the hall as she walked away, leaving Ryona standing there, fighting the sting of her cousin's words.
Defeat clouded her eyes, though deep inside, something stronger—something determined—was beginning to stir.
As Ryona made her way home to the apartment, the weight of the day still lingered on her shoulders.
Unlocking the door, she was greeted by the smell of dinner wafting from the kitchen. Her mother, Belle Monroe, was busy cooking, humming softly as she stirred a pot.
"I'm home," Ryona announced, her voice tired but gentle.
"Welcome back, my dear southern belle," Belle replied warmly without turning away from the stove. From the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Shen setting the table.
"Welcome home, wife," said Shen Goddem, still acting under the guise of Shen Tucker.
"Hi, my love."
Ryona walked up to him and slipped her arms around his waist, hugging him tightly, as though afraid to let go.
Shen blinked, surprised by the sudden embrace. "Hmm? Ryona, what's wrong?" he asked softly, resting a hand against her back.
"Nothing," she murmured, shaking her head against his chest. "Just stress after work."
She explained about the gala, about Jhon Monroe's announcement, and about how Carol had mocked her for her accent in front of others.
Shen exhaled through his nose, rolling his eyes with a mix of irritation and amusement. He knew Carol Monroe far too well—her arrogance, her games, her shallow need to outshine others.
He reached out and gently patted Ryona's head, a tender gesture that made her glance up at him.
"Don't worry about the gala," Shen said calmly, his tone carrying a hidden weight. "And don't waste your thoughts on this promotion challenge either. Later at the gala… I will come and take you off the world."
Ryona's brows furrowed, her lips parting in confusion. "What do you mean by that?" she asked quietly.
But Shen only smiled faintly and went back to setting the table as if nothing more needed to be said.
The air between them grew still, carrying a sense of mystery Ryona couldn't quite place. She held her questions back, for now, even as her heart stirred with both love and unease.
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Chapter 14 — End.