Leah stood at the glass entrance of XTech Dynasty, her worn shoulder bag clutched tightly in her hand.
Everyone around her was dressed in silk blouses, polished shoes, and designer perfumes. She looked down at her neat but simple outfit—her mother's old blouse and her one good pair of flats.
"Don't let them see your fear," she told herself. "You deserve to be here."
When she stepped into the elevator, she didn't expect to find Ethan Sheng Xi inside.
He was alone.
And leaning casually against the railing like the powerful man he was—rich, flawless, untouchable.
"You're early," he said, glancing sideways.
Leah kept her eyes forward. "I didn't want to be late."
A small smile touched his lips.
"Come. I'll walk you to your desk."
The Software Testing Division was quiet, organized, and full of people who typed fast and barely spoke. Leah was introduced to her mentor, a kind woman named Ms. Tang, and given a tour. But everywhere she went, she felt eyes on her.
Whispers followed her.
"Who is she?"
"She doesn't look like someone from our world."
"Wait—wasn't she the cleaning girl?"
Leah swallowed her pride.
She didn't want Ethan to fight her battles.
She wanted to earn her place with her own work.
And she did. Within days, her supervisor noticed her sharp memory, her problem-solving skills, and her ability to stay calm under pressure. Ms. Tang quietly submitted a report to HR:
"Exceptional intern. Strong potential. Humble. Driven."
But not everyone was impressed.
Chen Yuxi was everything Leah wasn't—rich, polished, and born into luxury. She was the daughter of Ethan's long-time business associate and had her eyes set on one thing: becoming Mrs. Sheng Xi.
When she saw Leah walking beside Ethan in the hallway one afternoon—laughing quietly as he handed her a report—her blood boiled.
"Who does that girl think she is?"
Her friend smirked. "Rumor has it she used to mop this floor."
Yuxi narrowed her eyes.
"Well then, let's mop her out of here."
That evening, as Leah stepped out of the office late after finishing her reports, she found Ethan waiting by the stairs.
He held something behind his back.
"You stayed late," he said.
"I wanted to finish strong," she replied, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
He pulled his hand out and revealed a small pot of daisies—white with yellow centers.
"For you."
Leah blinked. "Why?"
"Because you remind me of these," he said simply. "They grow in the roughest soil. But they still bloom."
Her heart skipped.
No one had ever said anything like that to her.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"You're welcome, Leah."
When he said her name, it sounded like music.
But the more time Ethan spent with Leah, the louder the office grew.
"The CEO is dating an intern?"
"Isn't that unprofessional?"
"She's just using him for money."
Leah tried to block it out, but it stung. She overheard two staff laughing about how her father died in a cheap car and how her mother begged to sell pens.
She ran into the restroom and cried silently in the stall, clutching her phone.
"Am I ruining his reputation?"
That night, she typed a message to Ethan:
"Sir, thank you for everything. I'm grateful. But maybe I should resign."
But before she could send it, a new message came in from him:
"Don't let them scare you. You worked hard to be here. Stay."
She stared at the words, tears filling her eyes.
He believed in her.
And maybe... that was all she needed.
Meanwhile, Chen Yuxi wasn't done.
She went to her father and smiled sweetly.
"Dad, why don't we arrange a dinner between me and Ethan? You always said I should marry someone smart…"
Her father agreed.
And the trap began.
She would make Leah watch as Ethan was pulled back into his world—a world where women like Chen Yuxi wore diamonds and took private jets… not girls with siblings and rent issues.