When Hearts Collide: From Ashes to Love

Aaron never anticipated that Marian would date again. He had naively assumed she would remain single, holding onto her unrequited college crush on him. The sourness in his heart rose swiftly, almost drowning him. His unfocused gaze landed on the cutlery in front of him, and the words he had initially planned to say suddenly eluded him.

Dishes arrived one after another, and the aroma of the food made Marian's stomach rumble. She eagerly picked up her chopsticks and began to eat heartily. Expensive, but worth it, she thought—the food was truly delicious.

In stark contrast, Aaron had no appetite. He picked at his food, the flavors bland in his mouth. Before long, the meal was over. Marian excused herself to use the restroom but secretly headed to the front desk to settle the bill. However, the staff informed her that the bill had already been paid.

"What? That must be a mistake. I didn't pay for it," she said, puzzled.

The cashier pulled up the receipt. "It was settled through a prepaid account," they explained.

Marian immediately understood. Aaron must have instructed the staff to charge it to his account when he placed the order. She checked the total, thanked the staff, and returned to the private room.

Aaron was putting on his coat, preparing to leave. Marian pulled out her phone and said, "We agreed I'd pay tonight. I've transferred the money to your account." She busied herself adjusting her clothes, unaware of Aaron's dark expression.

As they walked out in silence, Marian noticed his sour mood. She started second-guessing her behavior—was her tone during the meal too harsh?

She felt wronged. Aaron had been much more condescending, belittling her for supposedly choosing boyfriends based on wealth and mocking her. It wasn't her fault she pushed back a little—didn't she have the right to?

Angry, Marian's mind wandered back to their college years. The humiliation Aaron caused her at graduation came rushing back. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. Tonight, she decided to let go of her usual restraint. Forget the "client-is-king" mantra and her job. For once, she was going to stand up for herself.

Meanwhile, Aaron's irritation began to fade as they left the restaurant. Rationally, he understood that it was normal for Marian to date—after all, they had graduated five years ago. But the idea still left him unsettled, much like the feeling he had when he unexpectedly heard her name while abroad.

He didn't understand why he was upset or what exactly was bothering him. He decided to address it head-on, intending to warn Marian to stay away from someone like He Bing. But when he turned back, she was gone.

Anxiously, Aaron retraced his steps, worried about her poor sense of direction, but found no sign of her. A valet eventually told him she had already taken a taxi home.

Frustrated, Aaron floored the gas pedal and headed to a bar.

By the time Yao Qian arrived, Aaron was halfway through a bottle of whiskey, his tie loosened, exuding a rare air of disheveled recklessness.

Yao Qian snatched the glass from Aaron's hand and sprawled out on the couch. "Is the HuaQin acquisition not going well?" he asked.

Aaron shook his head, reaching for another glass, but Yao Qian quickly gathered them all and moved them out of reach.

"Did your mom try to set you up on another blind date?"

Aaron shook his head again, leaning back into the sofa with his eyes closed.

"It couldn't be… about Marian, could it?" Yao Qian ventured hesitantly.

The name hit its mark. Over the weekend, Aaron had personally driven Marian home—a fact Yao Qian had just learned about. That was unusual. Aaron never went out of his way for women.

He studied Aaron carefully. Though Aaron's eyes were shut, his lashes fluttered, and his brows furrowed slightly. Yao Qian realized his guess was spot on.

"What's the deal with Marian? Do you like her?" he pressed.

Aaron opened his eyes. "No."

"Then is it guilt? Do you feel the need to make amends?"

"Also no."

Aaron, visibly irritated, lit a cigarette. Smoke curled around him, filling the room with a hazy tension.

Yao Qian sighed. "Fine, keep suppressing your feelings. But one day, this is going to bite you."

A few days later, Marian didn't see Aaron again, though He Bing persisted in showing up during her lunch breaks.

Carrying her lunchbox, Marian tried to politely decline his advances. "Sorry, I've been so busy. I usually eat lunch at my desk."

He Bing looked shocked. "Your company works you harder than YuTou Group?"

"It's just the way things are these days. Everyone's grinding hard," Marian said lightly, shrugging.

Seeing her weary expression, He Bing's heart ached. "You shouldn't have to work so hard. A good husband could take care of you."

Marian nearly burst out laughing. Rely on a man? Who could possibly be reliable enough for that?

"I wouldn't want to be a burden," she said dryly, hoping he'd catch the hint.

But He Bing misunderstood, thinking she was hinting at him. His heart soared. "Marian," he said, pulling her aside with a mix of urgency and sincerity. "Let's get back together. This time, I'll convince my mom. She won't look down on your background anymore."

Marian froze, her face unreadable. She pulled her hand back and took a step away.

"We're not a good match, He Bing. There's no need to revisit the past."

"Why not?" he asked, bewildered by her sudden coldness.

Sighing, Marian decided it was time to set the record straight. "First, your mom will never change her opinion of me—you know that as well as I do. Second, you've never stood up to her. You're nothing more than a mama's boy. And third, I don't have feelings for you anymore. Let's just stay colleagues."

He Bing tried to argue, but Marian cut him off. "If you keep this up, we won't even be colleagues anymore."

Her firm tone broke him. For some reason, he thought about Marian's dinner with Aaron and lashed out, "Marian, don't think you can latch onto someone like Aaron. People like him are out of your league! You're almost 30, no house, no car, no savings, and a grandmother who spends money like water. Women like you can't even dream of getting married! I only offered to take you back out of pity—don't be so ungrateful!"

Oh, pity? Another one pitying her?

Marian scoffed, glaring at him. "You should worry about yourself. With the gender imbalance these days, men over 30 who aren't married end up single. And mama's boys like you? Even if you do get married, you may end up divorced. Maybe get ready to walk down the aisle a few more times."

Without another glance, Marian strode away, leaving He Bing to stew in his embarrassment as bystanders threw him judgmental looks.

From the shadows, Meiqi Liang peeked out, having witnessed the entire scene.