The silence between them was sharp enough to cut through the dark. Meilin froze by the window, her heart pounding so hard she could barely breathe. Rain still dripped from the eaves outside, each drop echoing like a ticking clock.
Jiang Rui stood halfway down the stairs, his expression unreadable but his eyes — those steady, piercing eyes — locked on her trembling form. "Who were you talking to, Meilin?"
She forced herself to turn, her lips parting, but no sound came out. Her throat felt tight, her voice lost somewhere between fear and guilt. "No one," she finally managed. "I thought I heard something outside, that's all."
Jiang Rui's gaze flicked briefly to the rain-streaked glass, then back to her. He didn't believe her — she could see it in the way his jaw tightened.
"You're shaking," he said quietly, stepping closer. "Was someone here?"
She swallowed hard. "No."
The word came too quickly.
He stopped a few feet away, his voice low. "You used to lie like that before too. Your eyes always gave you away."
Her heart twisted. The past she thought she'd buried was clawing its way back.
"I'm not lying," she whispered, though her voice broke halfway.
He studied her face for a long moment, then exhaled slowly. "I'll check outside."
Before she could stop him, he moved toward the back door. Panic surged through her. What if Li Chen was still nearby? What if he saw Jiang Rui and turned this quiet night into something worse?
"Rui, wait!" she called out, but he was already outside.
The wind picked up, carrying the faint scent of smoke again — faint, lingering, mocking. Meilin wrapped her arms around herself, staring helplessly as Jiang Rui walked toward the garden fence, scanning the shadows.
There was no one there. Only the whisper of rain and the rustle of wet leaves.
Finally, he came back inside, his shirt damp and his brows furrowed. "Nothing. Maybe it was just the wind."
She nodded too quickly, avoiding his gaze. "I told you."
But the look he gave her was one of quiet suspicion. He didn't push further, only said, "Don't stay up too late. You need rest."
He turned to go upstairs, but just before he disappeared around the corner, he paused. "If something's wrong, Meilin… don't face it alone again."
Her breath caught. Again. That word — again — burned more than she expected.
When he was gone, Meilin sank onto the couch, her hands trembling. She pressed her palms against her face, willing the memories to stop.
Li Chen's words echoed like poison. I'm here because of what you owe me.
What did he mean? What did he want now, after all these years?
Her mind spun through old memories — their secret meetings, the promises, the lies. The last time she saw him, he'd been furious, accusing her of betrayal. She thought that chapter of her life had ended with her death. But apparently, some ghosts refused to stay buried.
A small voice broke the silence. "Mommy?"
Meilin looked up. Xiaoya stood at the top of the stairs, rubbing her eyes. "Are you crying?"
Meilin wiped quickly at her cheeks and forced a smile. "No, sweetheart. Mommy's just… thinking."
"Daddy said you were scared," Xiaoya murmured. "Don't be. I'll protect you."
The innocence in her daughter's voice shattered what was left of Meilin's calm. She stood and walked over, hugging her tightly. "Thank you, my brave girl," she whispered.
Outside, thunder rumbled again. In the reflection of the window, for just a second, Meilin thought she saw a figure standing at the edge of the street — watching, waiting.
And somewhere in the shadows, a faint trail of smoke rose into the rain.