Mr. CEO's Runaway Ex-Girlfriend's Comeback

When I arrived at the alumni gathering, the party was already in full swing.

At the center of the crowd, Lucius Albrecht sat at a round table, his expression composed. The crystal chandelier overhead cast a soft glow over his sharp nose and defined features, making him look like a deity carved from jade—aloof yet flawless.

Beside him sat a pretty girl with delicate features.

Lucius’s arm rested casually on the back of her chair, every gesture exuding care and tenderness.

They were in the middle of a game of Truth or Dare, and the bottle had just landed on her.

Someone in the group, clearly trying to stir the pot, teased, “Choose one person here to kiss for two minutes.”

The girl flushed instantly, lowering her head in embarrassment. She shot Lucius a pleading look, so timid and endearing that it tugged at the heartstrings.

Lucius scanned the room with a calm gaze and said softly, “Don’t push her—she’s shy.”

His words carried enough weight that no one dared to press further. Out of respect for the game, though, Lucius downed the drink in front of him instead.

The way he shielded her was unmistakable.

The crowd erupted in playful cheers and laughter, completely unaware of my quiet presence in the corner.

I clutched the scar on my wrist and silently turned away.

“Mrs. Albrecht, just got here too?”

The voice of class committee member Michael Busch broke through the noise, drawing everyone’s attention to me.

Mrs. Albrecht.

A title I used to wear with pride now felt like a cruel joke.

In an instant, all eyes were on me. I forced a smile and said evenly, “Long time no see.”

No one responded.

The room fell into a brief, deafening silence.

I could practically hear a pin drop.

Of course. With Lucius now seemingly with his destined match, who would bother acknowledging the woman who spent six years pathetically chasing after him?

My presence here was nothing short of an intrusion.

Just then, the girl standing next to Lucius broke the awkward silence. "Oh, I know you! Sylvie Morrow, the legendary top student and campus goddess from a few years back!"

She had a sweet face and a soft, gentle voice that made it impossible to dislike her.

"Hi, senior! I'm Cecily Linwood, also from the Computer Science department," she introduced herself with a bright smile. Then she glanced at Lucius, her tone dropping to a playful murmur. "Why didn’t you mention that Sylvie would be here tonight?"

Lucius cast me a detached glance, his voice cool and indifferent. "She’s irrelevant. Why would I bring her up?"

Irrelevant-

So, this is how Lucius defines me.

But when I really think about it, he’s not wrong.

Otherwise, why would I have spent six entire years without earning even a rightful place by his side?

He never acknowledged me.

Let alone shielded me from anything, like he did tonight.

The ironic part? I’d always believed that Lucius, with his cool restraint, didn’t even drink.

After the party ended, the group headed downstairs together.

Lucius and Cecily led the pack, surrounded by a crowd of admirers.

Her soft, gentle voice drifted to my ears. “I told you to drink less. See? Now you’re feeling awful.”

Lucius gave the perfect boyfriend response: “And whose fault is that?”

Cecily’s eyes reddened. “Lu, don’t walk me back. It breaks my heart to see you like this.”

I didn’t catch his reply, but whatever he said had her laughing through her tears in no time.

The two of them were all wrapped up in their own little world, blissfully unaware. Meanwhile, in the back, I was met with one sympathetic glance after another.

Yeah, my mood wasn’t great.

I’d come to the alumni event hoping to build connections in the investment circle.

Instead, my plan had fallen apart, and I’d been reduced to the evening’s entertainment.

Michael finally stepped in, offering to walk me to the subway.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know Lucius would show up,” he said apologetically, looking genuinely remorseful. “He’s never attended one of these before.”

He wasn’t lying. Lucius’s name wasn’t even on the attendee list.

“It’s fine,” I replied calmly. “It’s all in the past now. I’ll still need your help in the future, Class Rep.”

Michael nodded. “I’ve still got your project proposal. I’ll let you know as soon as there’s an update.”

See? Talking business is so much easier than talking feelings.

An hour later, I returned to my apartment building with a pack of hangover pills in hand.

The elevator doors opened, and there he was—a tall, familiar figure.

Lucius.

He had a cigarette between his fingers, a lighter poised mid-air. His navy pinstriped tie hung loosely around his neck, and he looked... uncharacteristically disheveled.

When he saw me, his eyes flickered, dark and deep, betraying a moment of hesitation. His lips pressed into a tight line.

I lowered my gaze and calmly reached to press my floor number.

Neither of us spoke.

Suddenly, a shadow loomed over me. The heavy scent of alcohol filled the air, and before I could react, an arm wrapped tightly around my waist, pulling me against him.

His hoarse voice sounded in my ear. “Sisi, you still care about me, don’t you?”

Lucius nuzzled against my neck as he spoke, his tone unusually soft, almost pleading.

It was a side of him I hadn’t seen in the past six years.

But I couldn’t help remembering the way he had spoken so tenderly to Miss Linwood at the party just an hour ago.

Caring.

It was Cecily who had said she cared for him.

Sisi and Cece—they do sound alike.

The overpowering smell of alcohol made it clear he was drunk.

I sighed, lifting my head to remind him. “Sorry, I’m not Miss Linwood.”

His arm around me froze.

When our eyes met, I quietly stepped aside, leaving him standing there.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught the look on his face—stiff and unreadable.

The air between us turned awkward for a fleeting moment.

With a soft 'ding,' the elevator arrived at my floor. I stepped out, expressionless, though I could still feel Lucius’s barely perceptible gaze trailing after me.

I quickened my pace, heading straight for my door. Just as I was about to close it, Lucius barged in without warning, pressing me against the narrow entryway.

His long legs closed the distance with an aggressive ease, boxing me into the confined space.

“Sylvie, you live here?”

His tone was icy, carrying an unmistakable edge of coldness.

I lived in the apartment we had once shared two years ago.

I answered honestly. “The landlord offered a $300 discount for returning tenants.”

Three hundred bucks—when you’re a working stiff like me, every penny counts.

Lucius’s displeasure was evident in the sharp scoff he let out. “Convenient excuse,” he sneered.

I reached out to turn on the lights, gesturing to the completely revamped interior. “Does it look like it?” I countered.

Gone was the minimalist, cold aesthetic he preferred. In its place was a bold Memphis-style decor—a stark contrast to his tastes.

Lucius’s gaze swept over the room. His brows furrowed slightly, and after a pause, he said, “You need to move. I’ll cover the difference.”

I couldn’t understand what he was still hung up on.

Every corner of this place where we’d once slept, kissed, and made love—it had all been transformed. None of it remained, and besides, he wasn’t coming back, was he?

But the next words out of his mouth cleared up any confusion.

“Cecily lives upstairs.”

Ah. That explained everything.

No wonder we’d run into each other earlier. If I had to guess, he was on his way back after dropping her off.

It was considerate of him, really—trying so hard to avoid giving her the wrong impression.

“Well, that’s an easy fix,” I said, eyeing the apartment’s aging fixtures. “You could move Miss Linwood to a better place.”

Somewhere in the Upper East Side, perhaps. A luxurious suite with panoramic views of the city’s dazzling nightscape. Lucius could certainly afford it. He was never short on money.

But he didn’t take my suggestion. Shaking his head, he replied firmly, “I don’t want her to be misunderstood.”

His tone left no room for negotiation.

For a moment, I was struck by how thorough he was—how carefully he seemed to consider everything for her sake.

It felt like a venomous sting to the chest, sharp and faintly aching. I paused before replying evenly, “Sorry, but I’m not moving.”

The apartment was close to the university, reasonably priced, and conveniently located near a subway line that took me straight to work.

Still, to avoid unnecessary conflict, I added, “You don’t need to worry. Miss Linwood and I won’t cross paths.”

And neither will you and I.

The thought stayed unspoken, locked safely inside.

“You’d better keep your word.”

Lucius shot me a warning glance before storming out, slamming the door behind him.

I stood there for a moment, dazed, the tightness in my chest refusing to fade.

The blaring ringtone of my phone pulled me from my thoughts.

It was my boss and friend, Lynne Wales.

“Get ready,” her brisk, no-nonsense voice rang through the receiver. “You’re meeting the new investors with me tomorrow morning.”

Lynne was thirty, a powerhouse of a woman whose commanding tone left no room for argument. It was enough to jolt me out of my melancholy.

One glance at my monthly bills brought me crashing back to reality.

But that resolve wavered the moment Lynne’s G500 pulled up outside PrimeSphere Capital the next morning.

PrimeSphere Capital—an up-and-coming titan in the investment world.

Its founder? Lucius.