The GDI Shanghai office occupied three floors of a glass tower that seemed to breathe with the city's pulse. As Lizzy followed David through the maze of open-plan workspaces, she couldn't help but notice how different it felt from London's marble-and-mahogany formality.
Here, the energy was electric. Teams huddled around holographic displays, switching between Mandarin and English mid-sentence. A twenty-something developer was explaining blockchain integration to a group of executives, her sneakers propped up on a conference table that probably cost more than most people's cars.
"This is what your father envisioned," David said, watching her take it all in. "Not just tradition, but evolution."
Lizzy paused at a wall of screens showing real-time data from markets across Asia. The numbers moved like living things—breathing, shifting, responding to forces she was only beginning to understand.
"In London, we still print half our reports," she said quietly.
"Different markets, different approaches." David's voice carried no judgment, but she caught the implication. "Here, if you're not adapting, you're already dead."
They stopped at a corner office where a woman in her thirties was conducting a video call with what looked like a room full of Japanese executives. Her presentation was flawless—slides transitioning seamlessly between Japanese, English, and Mandarin as she spoke.
"Mei Lin," David said as the woman ended the call. "She's been with us for two years. Started as a junior analyst, now she's heading our expansion into Southeast Asia."
Mei Lin approached with a confident smile. "David's told me so much about you, Miss Grant. Your father was brilliant—his vision for Asian markets was decades ahead of everyone else."
"Thank you," Lizzy said, then surprised herself by asking, "What made you want to work here?"
"The opportunity to build something new. In traditional firms, you climb a ladder. Here, you invent the ladder." Mei Lin's eyes lit up, though Lizzy noticed a slight hesitation when she glanced at David. "Last month, I pitched a cryptocurrency trading platform to the board. Six weeks later, we had our first million in revenue."
After Mei Lin left, David guided Lizzy to the executive floor. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, Shanghai sprawled endlessly—a city that rebuilt itself every decade, each iteration more audacious than the last.
"You're different here," Lizzy observed.
"Different how?"
"More... yourself. In London, you were always performing. Here, you're just David."
He considered this. "In London, I was your father's assistant. Here, I'm me."
That evening, as they walked through the French Concession, past plane trees and art deco buildings that felt like fragments of another world, as they reached the hotel, David hesitated. "Actually, what if we got out of the city tomorrow? I want to show you something."
"What kind of something?"
"Trust me."
Next day, the drive to Anji took two hours through countryside that seemed to exist in a different century. Rice paddies gave way to bamboo forests, and the air grew cooler, cleaner. David drove a sleek electric car that glided silently through mountain roads, the only sound the whisper of wind through bamboo.
"This is where your father came when he needed to think," David said. " Sebastian always said the bamboo reminded him that strength comes from flexibility."
"Jesus," Lizzy breathed.
"I know the owner," David said simply. "They've closed the restaurant for us tonight."
He said it lightly, like he was mentioning the weather. But something in his tone made her pause—there was an undertone of satisfaction, as if this was just another piece falling into place in some larger design. The kind of design that left nothing to chance.
The sunset painted the bamboo in shades of gold and green, and mist began to rise from the valley floor. Their table was set on the terrace, candles flickering in the mountain breeze. The tablecloth rippled softly in the wind, and the bamboo forest below rustled with a sound like whispered secrets.
"This is insane," Lizzy said, looking out at the view. "How did you even find this place?"
"Your father wasn't the only one who needed to escape London sometimes."
They talked through dinner—about the business, about Shanghai, about everything except what was really happening between them. The wine was perfect, the food was perfect, and when the server brought dessert—a delicate mango creation that was exactly what she'd mentioned loving in Hong Kong—Lizzy felt a warm flutter in her chest.
David stood up suddenly, and Lizzy thought he was going to the bathroom.
Instead, he dropped to one knee.
The ring box appeared from nowhere, black velvet against the glass floor. Inside, a diamond caught the candlelight—not huge, but perfect, set in a band that somehow managed to be both modern and timeless.
"Lizzy," David's voice was steady, but she could see his hands trembling. "I know the timing is crazy. I know you're dealing with so much right now. But I also know that I've been in love with you since that first dinner in Hong Kong, and I can't imagine building a future without you."
The bamboo swayed in the wind below them, millions of stalks moving as one. The mist had thickened, making the pavilion feel like they were floating in clouds.
"I'm not asking you to choose between me and the company," David continued. "I'm asking you to choose us. To build something together. To be partners in everything."
Lizzy stared at the ring, her mind racing. This was insane. She'd been in Shanghai for three days. She was in the middle of a corporate crisis. She barely knew who she was anymore, let alone what she wanted.
But then she thought about her mother's words years ago: "Marriage is a merger, darling. Make sure you're the acquiring party, not the acquired." She also thought about her father, always calculating, always three moves ahead. Would he approve? Would he see this as weakness or strength? The wind carried the scent of jasmine from somewhere far below, and she realized she was tired of making decisions based on others.
Looking at David's face—open, vulnerable, hopeful—she felt something she hadn't felt in months: wanted. Not as Sebastian's daughter or the company's heir, but as herself.
"There's something else," David said softly. "Olivia's been building support for months. She has Morrison, Nicholas, and at least two others."
Lizzy's stomach dropped. "That's enough to challenge my position."
"But if we were partners—real partners—it changes everything. United front. Shared vision."
The implications hit her like a physical blow. "You're proposing a merger."
"I'm proposing we stop fighting separate battles." David's eyes were intense, calculating. "You need allies, Lizzy. And I need someone who sees me as more than just your father's assistant."
"Yes," she whispered, looking up at David through her tears. "Yes, of course yes."
The ring slid onto her finger perfectly, warm against her skin, and David stood to kiss her. For a moment, suspended above the bamboo forest, everything felt possible.
She pulled out her phone, snapping a photo of the ring against the backdrop of mist and mountains. The image looked like something from a fairy tale—too perfect to be real.
"Sometimes the best decisions are the crazy ones," she murmured, typing the caption.
For the first time in months, she felt like she had someone truly on her side. Not someone who wanted something from her, or who saw her as Sebastian's daughter or the company's heir, but someone who chose her for herself.
"We should call people," David said, his arm around her waist. "The board—"
"Later," Lizzy said, posting the photo to Instagram with a simple caption: "Sometimes the best decisions are the crazy ones 💍"
Her phone exploded with notifications within minutes. Likes, comments, messages—the news spreading across the internet at light speed.
"Ohhhh," she said, watching the numbers climb. "This is going to be everywhere."
David's phone was buzzing too. He glanced at it and smiled. "Morrison's calling," he said, then declined the call. "Tonight is about us."
But even as they drove back to Shanghai, reality began to seep in. Lizzy's phone showed dozens of missed calls from London. Text messages from board members, from journalists, from people she hadn't spoken to in years.
Nicholas's message was coldly furious: "Emergency board meeting called. You have 24 hours to explain yourself. This is unacceptable."
"How did they find out so fast?" Lizzy asked.
"Instagram travels fast," David said. "But don't worry—we'll handle this together."
In her room, they finally called Nicholas, who answered before the first ring finished.
"Lizzy Grant." His voice was ice-cold, using her full name like a weapon. "I've been fielding calls for two hours. Care to explain why I learned about your engagement from the Financial Times?"
"Nicholas, I'm engaged. I'm happy. Can't you just—"
"Happy?" His voice rose, something she'd never heard before. "You've single-handedly undone months of damage control. The board is in chaos. Three major investors have called emergency meetings. And you're happy?"
"David's not just some random person—"
"That makes it infinitely worse! You've married yourself to a company employee without board approval, without disclosure, without any consideration for conflicts of interest. Do you have any concept of corporate governance?"
Lizzy felt the room spinning. "Nicholas, you're overreacting—"
"Overreacting?" His voice turned deadly quiet. "Olivia has enough votes to call for your removal. Morrison is already drafting the motion. The stock has dropped twelve percent in after-hours trading. And you think I'm overreacting?"
"She can't remove me. I'm—"
"You're the CEO at the board's discretion, Lizzy. And right now, that discretion is hanging by a thread. You have twenty-four hours to convince them you haven't completely lost your mind."
After hanging up, Lizzy sat on the bed, staring at the ring on her finger. It was beautiful, but Nicholas's words echoed in her mind. Twelve percent drop. Emergency meetings. Removal votes.
David sat beside her, taking her hand. "He's scared, Lizzy. Nicholas has been part of the old guard for decades. Change threatens him."
"He's not wrong about the optics, though. This looks impulsive."
"So what? Your father built this company by taking risks others wouldn't take. Sometimes the best decisions look crazy from the outside."
She looked at him, seeing the same confidence that had drawn her to him in the first place. "You really think we can handle this?"
"I know we can." David's voice carried a quiet strength that made her feel less alone. "Nicholas thinks in terms of old-school corporate politics. But you and I? We understand the new world. We know how to build something better."
She squeezed his hand. "I've been fighting this battle alone for so long, I forgot what it felt like to have someone on my side."
"You're not alone anymore." He pulled out his phone, scrolling through his contacts. "I have relationships across the company that could help. People who respect your vision but were afraid to speak up before."
"Like who?"
"Mei Lin, for one. She's been quietly building support among the younger executives. And there are others—people who believe in the direction you want to take the company but felt powerless under the old guard."
Lizzy felt a spark of hope. "You think we can outmaneuver Olivia?"
"I think we can build something better than what she's offering."
David opened his laptop, pulling up what looked like an organizational chart. "I've been tracking the board dynamics for months. Here's who we can count on, who's undecided, and who's firmly in Olivia's camp."
As he walked her through the analysis, Lizzy felt her confidence returning. This was strategy, something she understood. And for the first time, she wasn't doing it alone.
"The key is the Shanghai expansion," David continued. "If we can show concrete results here—turning this into the true Asian headquarters your father envisioned—it undermines Olivia's argument that you're too inexperienced. And I have the local network and team in place to make it happen quickly."
"You really have been thinking about this."
"I've been thinking about you. About us. About what we could build together." He closed the laptop and turned to face her. "I meant what I said up there. I'm not just asking you to marry me—I'm asking you to be my partner in turning Shanghai into the crown jewel of your father's vision. To build something that makes London look like the past."
"Okay," she said, taking a deep breath. "Let's do this. But we do it smart. No more surprises."
"No more surprises," David agreed, then smiled. "Well, except maybe the wedding planning."
Despite everything, she laughed. "One crisis at a time."
As they began planning their strategy for the board meeting, Lizzy felt something she hadn't experienced in months: excitement. Not just about the engagement, but about the future. With David beside her, and the Shanghai team they'd built together, the company didn't feel like a burden anymore—it felt like a canvas for everything they could create together.
Her phone buzzed with another message from Nicholas: "The board meeting is set for Friday. Be prepared to defend every decision you've made as CEO. This isn't just about your engagement anymore—it's about your fitness to lead."
She looked at David, who nodded encouragingly.
"Ready to face them?" he asked.
Lizzy stared at the ring on her finger, the diamond catching the neon glow from Shanghai's skyline. Three days ago, she'd been drowning in her father's shadow and Anna's recordings, second-guessing every decision, wondering if she was strong enough to lead. Now, with David beside her, she felt something she hadn't experienced since taking over: genuine confidence.
But beneath that confidence, a sharper realization was taking shape. Her father had always said that in business, there were no coincidences—only carefully orchestrated opportunities. David's proposal, perfectly timed just as her position was most vulnerable. His detailed analysis of board dynamics, ready at a moment's notice. The way he'd positioned himself as her salvation when she needed it most.
She thought of her mother's words: "Make sure you're the acquiring party, not the acquired." The question was—in this beautiful, romantic merger—who was really acquiring whom?
"Lizzy?" David's voice pulled her from her thoughts. "You're quiet."
"Just thinking about Friday." She smiled, but kept her real thoughts to herself. "You're right. We can handle this."
Outside, Shanghai pulsed with ambition and possibility. In forty-eight hours, she would face the board that wanted to remove her. But she was no longer the uncertain woman who'd arrived in this city. She was Sebastian Grant's daughter, and she was learning to play the game the way he'd taught her—with everyone, including the man she'd just agreed to marry.
The ring felt heavier on her finger now, weighted with more than just its precious metal. It was a symbol of partnership, yes. But partnerships, she was beginning to understand, were just another form of strategic alliance.