The grand hall of the Empire International Expo was a sea of glittering lights and flashing cameras. Every influential figure in the business world had gathered tonight for the Lin Global Empire's annual gala. But tonight, it wasn't just about business.
It was about her.
Ella Lin stepped onto the crystal-clear glass stage under a rain of golden confetti. Dressed in a breathtaking crimson evening gown, her every step was as graceful as a queen ascending her throne.
The massive LED screens behind her broadcast her live to the entire world.
Every major media outlet, every social platform, every television channel—broadcasting Ella Lin's return as the youngest and most powerful female CEO in history.
And then, the world froze.
A deep, magnetic voice echoed through the hall.
"Ella Lin… Marry me."
The spotlight shifted.
From the back of the hall, Leon Xu walked forward. He was still the epitome of male perfection, dressed in a custom-tailored black tuxedo, his obsidian eyes dark and unreadable.
But there was something different about him tonight.
He wasn't cold. He wasn't untouchable.
He was… desperate.
In front of the entire world, the man who once threw her away like garbage—who humiliated her, who forced her to disappear—was now standing under the spotlight with a black velvet box in hand.
Inside, a dazzling 30-carat diamond ring sparkled like a promise of eternity.
"Ella, I was wrong. I've been wrong every second since the day you left. I don't want the company. I don't care about the world. I just… want you back."
He knelt down.
The hall erupted into a chaotic frenzy of gasps and camera flashes.
The mighty Leon Xu… kneeling. In front of the woman he destroyed.
Ella stood there, her crimson gown flowing like liquid fire.
She looked down at him, her expression calm, almost indifferent.
"Leon Xu…" Her voice was soft but carried clearly through the entire hall.
"Do you remember what you said the last time I stood in front of you?"
He clenched his fists tightly, his head still bowed.
"One million dollars," she continued coldly. "You told me to take the money and disappear. You said I would never matter in your world."
She took a step closer.
"Now tell me, Leon. Is this the same world where you're on your knees before me?"
The audience held its breath.
Leon looked up, his eyes bloodshot but burning with a dangerous obsession.
"I'll kneel for the rest of my life if that's what it takes, Ella. I don't care how much you hate me. I can't live without you anymore."
A bitter smile curled on Ella's lips.
"I'm afraid… it's too late, Mr. Xu."
She turned slightly, her hand resting gently over her lower abdomen.
The crowd erupted into stunned whispers.
She was pregnant.
Leon's face went deathly pale. His world tilted violently on its axis.
"Ella… the child… is it—"
She cut him off with a cold, elegant smile.
"It doesn't matter who the father is. What matters is… neither of us need you anymore."
With that, she turned and walked away, her heels clicking against the glass stage like a death sentence.
The cameras captured every second.
That night, #LeonXuProposesAndGetsRejected and #EllaLinQueenOfTheWorld topped global trends.