The café was quieter this time — no laughter, no pretense. Just Wei Jun and Lin Xinya, their drinks untouched.
Lin Xinya's phone buzzed. "The replacement gown is ready," she whispered with a sly smile. "By tomorrow morning, it'll be delivered straight to her estate."
Wei Jun didn't respond immediately. His jaw tightened, and for once, doubt flickered in his eyes.
"Cancel it," he said flatly.
Xinya blinked. "What?"
"I said cancel it." He leaned forward, voice low and sharp. "She's going to pick me. She always does. I don't want her standing there in a ruined dress when she calls my name."
Xinya frowned, her tone rising. "Wei Jun, this is your chance! You saw how she humiliated you. Why protect her now?"
He looked away, gripping his cup tightly. "Because no matter what she says, she still loves me. She's just angry — pretending to be someone she's not."
Xinya's expression turned cold. "You're delusional."
"Maybe," he muttered, standing up. "But when she looks out into that crowd and sees me, she'll remember everything."
He threw some bills on the table and walked out, leaving Xinya alone with her bitterness twisting into something darker.
"Keep your love then," she hissed under her breath. "But when she breaks you, don't crawl back to me."
---
At the Lian Corporation
The next morning, Lian Yue arrived at her father's company — elegant and composed in a beige suit, her hair pinned neatly. Her heels clicked against the marble floors as she walked through the corridors with calm authority.
Today, she was standing in for her father to sign a partnership contract — one worth millions. Reporters were stationed outside, watching the heiress of Lian Group step into her rightful place.
Her secretary approached. "Miss Lian, the representatives from Zhao Holdings are waiting in the conference room."
Her steps faltered slightly. "Zhao Holdings?"
"Yes, madam. CEO Rian Zhao is here in person."
Lian Yue blinked once, a faint smile curving her lips. "Interesting. Let's not keep him waiting."
---
The doors opened. Inside, Rian Zhao stood near the window, his back straight, his posture controlled — but his eyes, when he turned to face her, were unreadable.
"Miss Lian," he greeted curtly.
"CEO Zhao," she replied evenly, walking to her seat.
Their handshake was brief — cool fingers brushing, tension humming faintly in the air.
The meeting began, filled with polite exchanges and business jargon, but every word between them carried an unspoken weight.
When the documents were finally signed, Yue rose to leave.
But as she turned, Rian's voice stopped her.
"You seem... different, Miss Lian."
She paused, glancing back. "Is that so?"
"In university, you were always smiling. Soft-spoken. Now…" He tilted his head slightly, eyes narrowing. "There's something harder behind your eyes."
Her lips curved into a faint smile. "Perhaps you just never looked close enough back then."
For a moment, silence. Then Rian's mouth twitched, almost into a smirk. "Perhaps."
As she walked past him, her perfume lingered faintly in the air — light, but impossible to ignore.
And for the first time since his rebirth, Rian Zhao felt his calm waver.
---
Later That Evening
The Lian estate glowed with preparation for the upcoming announcement ceremony. Tailors, florists, and event planners hurried through the grand halls, finalizing every detail.
Upstairs, Yue stood on her balcony, looking down at the shimmering city lights. Mei Rong approached quietly.
"Madam, the gown has been delivered."
Yue nodded. "Good. Leave it in my dressing room."
She remained outside, the night wind brushing her hair, her thoughts quiet yet sharp.
Three days ago, she'd chosen Rian Zhao's picture — an act that changed the course of both their fates.
And though he didn't yet remember everything, Yue knew something about him had shifted.
He wasn't the same cold, distant rival from before.
There was a flicker — a familiarity — a shadow of something unspoken.
And perhaps, that was what frightened her most.
---
Across the city, Rian Zhao sat in his dark office, the newly signed contract lying untouched on his desk.
His assistant entered, bowing slightly. "Sir, the deal with Lian Corporation has been finalized."
Rian didn't answer immediately. His gaze was fixed on the window — on the faint reflection of a woman in a beige suit and calm smile.
He remembered her eyes — steady, confident, but hiding something sharp beneath.
"Lian Yue…" he murmured under his breath.
He shouldn't care. He'd come back to this life for revenge, not distraction.
But somehow, her presence pulled at him — like a memory he couldn't quite erase.
---
> "Three days," Lian Yue whispered to herself that night. "Three days until the world knows who I've chosen."
> "Three days," Rian Zhao thought, closing his eyes, "to figure out why she feels like the one thing I lost... and never should have."