The Mountain Watches in Silence

Meng Tingchao had two secrets she could never let see the light of day.

First, when she was seventeen, she had filled the backs of a pile of discarded architectural sketches with the same person's name, over and over.

Second, eight years later, the owner of that name had become the powerful client who could make or break her project.

Lu Guanshan of Hengxing Capital was renowned in the industry as a cold-blooded devil. With sharply defined features and a decisive hand, he never dealt in favors in the capital markets, only returns.

At the bidding meeting where they met again, Meng Tingchao presented an impeccable restoration plan for an ancient building. Cool and composed, she addressed him with impeccable professionalism: “Mr. Lu.”

Lu Guanshan leafed through the proposal nonchalantly, glanced at her impassive face, and gave a soft, contemptuous laugh.

Meng Tingchao thought that if she kept up the act well enough, her humble, unrequited love would remain a pile of ashes hidden from the world forever.

All she wanted was to quietly finish her work and leave.

Until the usually haughty and unflappable Mr. Lu pinned her firmly against a wall.

His warm breath carried an intensely seductive woody scent as it brushed her ear. In his eyes burned a madness and fervor she had never seen before.

“Meng Tingchao,” he gritted out in the darkness, his voice hoarse beyond recognition. “Now you’re pretending we don’t know each other?”

He gripped her chin and forced her to look him in the eye.

“You stirred me up, and now you think you can walk away unscathed?”