The city pulsed with ambition, and within the walls of Hoshino Group, Ren and Sana—still unaware of her true identity as Sakura Hoshino—were rising fast. Projects bloomed under their joint leadership. Their names were whispered in boardrooms, lauded in internal memos. Their synergy was electric. But beneath the surface of Sana's shy smiles and helpful nature, the yandere CEO watched every move, every interaction, every threat to her love.
Sakura's obsession grew with every passing day. She had built empires, toppled competitors, and manipulated industries—but nothing thrilled her more than seeing Ren's smile when he looked at her.
To the rest of the company, she was an overachieving project manager. To Ren, she was a mystery he was slowly falling in love with. To herself, she was simply a woman protecting the one thing she had built her entire life around.
"You think we'll make it to the executive floor together?" Ren asked one evening, as they walked out of a successful product launch celebration.
"We'll go higher," she whispered.
He laughed. "Higher than the executive floor? That would make you the CEO."
"Maybe one day," she smiled, her heart beating wildly.
They spent more time together—weekends brainstorming, nights watching the skyline from the office rooftop, meals shared between boardroom battles. Ren, once a quiet, grounded man, began to find strength in her presence. His confidence soared.
But so did the threats.
Other rising stars in the company began noticing Sana. One man—Shinji, a senior analyst—started flirting, offering help with reports, trying to insert himself between them.
Sakura let it slide. Once.
Then came the sabotage.
A key proposal Ren had worked on disappeared hours before a critical meeting. Fingers pointed. Shinji smugly suggested Ren had been careless. Ren looked crushed.
Sakura acted.
That night, she hacked the internal server using a secure proxy, planting a trail of evidence that pointed straight to Shinji. The next morning, HR escorted him out of the building.
Ren was stunned. "How did they figure it out so fast?"
"Maybe the company's better at protecting its talent than you think," she said softly, hiding the truth behind her perfect facade.
He looked at her with grateful eyes. She could drown in them.
Their relationship blossomed. Though they kept it quiet, everyone suspected. Some whispered admiration. Others whispered jealousy. One of those whispers reached the ears of someone Sakura hadn't expected: Mai.
Ren's ex.
She showed up at the office lobby one rainy afternoon, her coat soaked, her smile forced.
"Ren," she said as he exited the elevator. "Can we talk?"
He hesitated. Sana watched from behind a glass wall, her breath freezing in her throat.
They spoke briefly. Mai apologized for the past, asked about his life, and dropped hints about rekindling old sparks. Ren smiled politely, said he had someone now, and walked away.
Sana's blood boiled. She followed Mai, silent as a ghost.
Three days later, Mai's name was mysteriously blacklisted from several major job boards. Her latest job offer was rescinded. She never connected the dots.
---
Late one night, as Ren and Sana worked on a high-profile merger proposal, he leaned back and sighed.
"You know... I've never felt this way before. You make me want to be better."
Sakura blinked, her heart thundering. She reached over, placing her hand gently over his.
"Then be the best. For both of us."
They kissed again, deeper, longer.
The following week, they were both promoted. Sana became senior project lead. Ren, team manager. Their new offices were side by side.
And with the new titles came whispers of wedding bells.
During a quiet lunch away from the office, Ren looked at her, a soft vulnerability in his gaze.
"If we keep going like this... would you marry me?"
She froze.
"Would you want that?" he asked, nervous.
She nodded slowly. "Yes. But let's wait. Just a little longer."
She needed to make sure her secrets stayed buried. Until the right moment.
Until he couldn't leave her, no matter what he learned.
Because she wasn't just building a future.
She was securing her forever.