Sea of Clouds

"President, these are the files that need your signature," Yang Mi said. She stifled a yawn. It was already three in the morning, yet the president was still working. She didn't even stop to watch the glittering skyline, the brilliant lights coming from the streets of Hong Kong, coloring the city in bright lights. "The directors who are assisting you will arrive around noon. They will be staying with me."

Lily nodded at the reminder before smiling at her assistant.

"Go back to your flat and sleep."

Yang Mi hesitated before nodding. "President, would you like some coffee? Perhaps tea?"

"Thank you, Yang Mi. I will be fine," Lily said, her eyes glued to the documents in front of her. They had both just arrived at one of their properties in Hong Kong. However, this did not stop her from working on the things that needed to be done for the three companies she had recently acquired.

She heard Yang Mi gather her things before leaving. They were currently in a penthouse on the twenty-first floor of a building located in the dead-centre of Hong Kong's capital, City A. The entire building was owned by one of the real estate subsidiaries of the Facci's.

While Lily was staying in the two-bedroom penthouse, Yang Mi and the other directors would reside in the unit right below Lily's penthouse.

Lily made sure Yang Mi had left before lifting her head and walking out of the small study. She walked into the luxurious kitchen to grab a bottle of water before eyeing the floor to ceiling windows that acted as a door to the terrace attached to the penthouse.

After drinking the water, Lily's feet took her towards the terrace.

It was close to dawn, the sun was peeking from behind the tall building, the faint light of it slowly illuminating the sky. Yet, the brilliant lights from the cityscape still managed to take her breath away. The streets below her seemed to have come alive; as if someone had showered the city in glitter by dropping it from the highest building. It was magical.

It was magnificent.

Lily found herself staring at the tallest building in the city. From her knowledge, it was known as Sky City. The building consisted of more than fifty floors. Rumors had it that the topmost floor of the building was owned by a mysterious businessman who was akin to the king of business in the East.

Lily scoffed at her thoughts. King of business? More like the King of the Underworld.

She withdrew her gaze and went back inside the penthouse to continue working. She still had a long way to go before she could launch the new projects that she had planned for the newly acquired companies.

She needed to work harder.

…

"President. We have some news from the airport." A respectful voice was heard from the other end of the line.

"Is it worth disturbing my sleep, Secretary Go?" a man's cold voice echoed inside the room.

"My apologies, President Zhuo. It's about that photo."

The man jolted up from the bed, his drowsiness leaving him in an instant. "Tell me about it."

"A woman with the same features as Miss Qin Jinghua arrived at the airport in a private jet. It was two hours ago." Secretary Go made a deliberate pause. "But…"

"But what?"

"President, her name is no longer Qin Jinghua."

Silence followed.

"Then what is it?"

"Lily Qin. Her name is Lily Qin. President Zhuo, I took the liberty of gathering more information about Miss Qin, and it seems that she is a prominent figure in Europe."

"Europe?"

"Yes, President. She is the CEO and Owner of Facci Group of Companies in London. The news says that she just canceled her engagement with another Tycoon from London and received three companies as compensation from the Arison family. If my guess is right, she should be here on business, to handle those companies."

"Facci?" Zhuo Jingren furrowed his brow. He had heard of the Facci family. However, how could Qin Jinghua have become one of them?

"Yes... Lily Qin is a low profile businesswoman who rarely appears in functions and banquets. Because of this, not many people know of her past. However, according to our sources, Lily Qin was the lost granddaughter of Lilian Facci who died a month ago."

"Continue…"

"Well, it is said that Lilian Facci found Miss Qin in a Mental Facility in Hong Kong."

Zhuo Jingren clenched his jaws at his secretary's words. "Good. I want the full report. No-no… I want you to bring it to me."

"Right now?" his secretary asked.

"Yes, Secretary Go. Right now," he answered before abruptly cutting the call. He looked at the time on his phone.

Three in the morning.

Zhuo Jingren dragged his feet out of his king-sized bed and donned on a black robe. He went ahead and poured himself a glass of his favorite bourbon.

The burn of the bourbon instantly made him more alert and he finally managed to process the words he had just heard from his secretary. He downed another glass of bourbon as if hoping to find the answer to his question at the bottom of it.

"Lily Qin," he thought out loud before walking towards the terrace of his penthouse. "So that's why I was not able to find you." Zhuo Jingren scoffed as he opened the email he had received on his phone.

It was a photo of a woman wearing a deep red, knee-length dress, walking down from the private jet. Her hand held her hair back, trying to stop it from dancing with the wind. Zhuo Jingren's gaze instantly darkened when he swiped to the next photo. It was Lily Qin walking away from the jet, talking and smiling to the young pilot next to her.

"Lily Qin… Qin Jinghua…" he murmured. "I finally found you."

His gaze turned towards the sea of clouds in front of him. It was dawn, yet he could no longer see the streets full of glittering lights. This was the thing he loved the most about living in the tallest floor of Sky City.

The peaceful sea of clouds.

Editor: Sunscar

Proofreader: Swaning