Alexander cast a brief glance toward Alicia. "She’s highly capable. If it weren’t for Alicia Sinclair, Éclat Beauty wouldn’t have achieved what it has today. I owe her sincere thanks."

The host cleared her throat, eyes deliberately sweeping the media as if to ensure every word was captured. The room hummed with anticipation, aware that every glance, every statement, could ignite another wave of commentary online.

The host’s smile widened. "CEO Blackwood, I’m sure that’s not quite the answer everyone was hoping for."

Alexander hadn’t anticipated the follow-up. His gaze flickered briefly toward Alicia.

The script for the event had been prepared in advance by the in-house team—there was no reason for the host to deviate. Which meant only one thing: this question had been added deliberately. By her.

Alexander understood immediately. Alicia was using their connection to stir speculation, to ignite conversation. With Lilian seated in the audience, the implications were obvious.

Romantic rumors always drew the most attention.

The director had carefully arranged the moment, even ensuring the cameras lingered on him long enough to capture every subtle reaction.

The media sharpened their focus. Not a single movement escaped their lenses.

Online, the live-stream surged. Within seconds, the topic shot to the top of trending charts across multiple platforms.

After a brief pause, Alexander answered, "Alicia... smart and sensible."

It was the safest response—measured, neutral, impossible to misinterpret.

The host let out a soft laugh. "I didn’t expect CEO Blackwood to be so cautious."

She turned smoothly. "Now, Director Alicia—how do you and Mr. Blackwood usually get along?"

All eyes shifted.

Alicia accepted the microphone, her expression calm as she faced the camera. She didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she let the silence stretch, deliberately heightening the anticipation.

The comment section flooded with anxious speculation.

The venue fell quiet.

Then, with a faint smile, she said, "You guess."

The response detonated across the livestream.

"I can’t take this—why would you stop there?!"

"She’s even more cunning than him."

The host shook her head with an amused sigh. "Director Alicia, it seems you’re even craftier than CEO Blackwood."

She clapped her hands lightly. "Alright, let’s move on. It’s time for our first interactive game—Thread the Needle. Let me explain the rules."

As the explanation unfolded, murmurs spread through the audience.

The premise sounded simple: threading a needle.

The catch was anything but. Participants couldn’t use their hands. One would hold the needle between their lips, while the other would guide the thread the same way.

The implication was obvious.

The moment the rules were announced, both the venue and the livestream erupted.

"Who came up with this?!"

"At a product launch? Seriously?"

Guests laughed openly, while the media practically lit up with excitement. This kind of game belonged to variety shows—not a formal corporate event.

Which made it perfect.

Alexander lowered his gaze slightly.

There was no need to guess who had approved this. Alicia had orchestrated it—and she knew exactly what would follow. Attention, controversy... and criticism.

The staff brought the props forward.

"Alright," the host said brightly, "please decide—who will take the needle, and who will take the thread?"

Alicia glanced briefly at the tray before looking at Alexander. "Which do you want?"

Without hesitation, Alexander picked up the needle, holding it steadily between his lips.

Alicia took the thread, biting lightly on the end, leaving just enough visible to work with.

"Let the game begin."

The countdown started.

They stepped closer.

Too close.

The cameras zoomed in, capturing every fraction of movement. Alicia leaned forward, her expression focused, her movements precise. The thread trembled slightly as she adjusted the angle.

Alexander remained still, his posture controlled, his gaze lowered just enough to avoid direct contact.

The distance between them shrank to almost nothing.

A collective hush fell over the room.

Then—

Success.

The thread slipped cleanly through the needle.

Applause broke out instantly.

The livestream exploded again.

"That was insane."

"Tell me that wasn’t intentional."

Alicia stepped back first, her composure intact, as though nothing unusual had happened.

Alexander removed the needle calmly, his expression unreadable.

The host clapped enthusiastically. "That was smoother than expected!"

But the energy in the room had already shifted.

Because everyone knew—

This was only the beginning.

"Congratulations to CEO Blackwood and Director Alicia, you won’t face any punishment. Oh, what a shame, really. Next, please have Director Alicia take a seat, and we’ll be drawing for our second interactive guest."Alicia walked to the edge of the stage, handed the microphone to a staff member, and made her way to her seat.

Her expression remained calm, clearly knowing what was coming next.

The host turned, her tone rising with excitement. "Now, for our second round of interaction..."

The screen began scrolling, and as expected, Lilian summer was chosen.

"Definitely rigged."

"Whoever planned this is a genius."

"Miss Lilian Summer, would you please join us on stage?"

The camera cut instantly.

Lilian rose gracefully, a gentle smile on her lips as she walked forward. Her presence alone seemed to soften the atmosphere, drawing a wave of supportive cheers both in the venue and online.

The contrast was immediate.

Where Alicia’s segment had stirred tension, Lilian’s arrival brought warmth—and expectation.

As she stepped onto the stage, the comment section surged again:

"Finally!"

"This is what we’ve been waiting for!"

The host beamed. "For this round, we’ll be pairing Miss Lilian Summer with CEO Blackwood."

A ripple passed through the audience.

Even without another word, the cameras instinctively shifted between the two of them—Alexander, and Lilian.

The tension tightened.

The camera zoomed in close to Alexander’s face. His expressionremained calm, his eyes deep and unreadable.

The host continued, "This time, we’ll be doing a variation—same concept, but with a slight twist to increase the challenge."

The staff quickly reset the props.

Lilian was wearing high heels, making their height difference almost a full head with Alexander .

Compared to before, the atmosphere had changed.

Where his interaction with Alicia had been controlled and restrained, this one carried a different kind of weight—one shaped by history, by rumors, and by the eyes of millions watching.

"I have a question is for both miss Lilian and CEO Blackwood. When did you two first meet?"the host continued

Alexander paused before answering, "College."

The host let out a knowing "Oh," raising an eyebrow. "So, you’ve known each other for quite a long time."

The comments went wild again.

Although they hadn’t officially announced their relationship, to the online audience, this was practically a public declaration.

The OTP (One True Pairing) was reignited like magic.

The planning was clearly designed to guide the fans.

Just moments ago, the OTP fans had felt their hearts shatter watching Alicia and Alexander’s interaction, but now, they were back on their feet, fully alive again.

"Without further delay, let’s move on to the next interactive game."

The host’s smile widened as she gestured toward the stage. "For our second interactive game, we’ll be trying something a little different—The Whisper Challenge."

A ripple of curiosity spread through the audience.

"Here’s how it works," she continued. "One participant will wear noise-canceling headphones while the other whispers a phrase. The goal is simple—read their lips and guess the sentence correctly."

Simple. Harmless.

At least, on the surface.

The staff quickly brought out the props.

Lilian accepted the headphones with a soft smile, her movements graceful as ever. The moment she placed them over her ears, the faint hum of the outside world seemed to disappear for her.

The camera zoomed in.

Alexander stood opposite her, composed as always, though his gaze had grown slightly more focused.

"CEO Blackwood," the host said lightly, "you’ll be the one whispering first."

A card was handed to him.

For a brief second, his eyes scanned the words.

Then, almost imperceptibly—he paused.

The camera caught it.

The audience noticed.

Online, the comments surged:

"Wait—what did he just read?"

"Why did he hesitate?"....