The rain had stopped by morning, leaving the world washed and quiet. Meilin barely slept. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Rui's face — the cold distance in his eyes when he asked if she had seen Li Chen.
Now, the house was silent except for Xiaoya humming softly in her room. Meilin moved through the kitchen like a ghost, her thoughts heavy and tangled. She wanted to talk to Rui, to explain everything, but how could she start? How do you explain pain you've spent years trying to bury?
She carried a cup of tea to Rui's study. The door was half open — something he never did. She hesitated before stepping inside.
He was sitting at his desk, papers scattered before him, a single envelope open in his hands. His expression was unreadable.
"Rui," she began softly, "I brought you some tea."
He didn't answer. He simply placed the letter on the desk and looked up at her. "You didn't tell me everything, did you?"
Her breath caught. "What are you talking about?"
He gestured toward the paper. "This came this morning. From Li Chen's company. He's threatening to release something — something about you."
Meilin's heart raced. "He's lying," she whispered.
"Then tell me what he has," Rui said, his voice low but sharp. "Because if I find out the truth from someone else again, Meilin, I don't think I can forgive it."
She stepped closer, trembling. "It was before you. Before we even met. He—"
She stopped herself, the memory burning like fire in her chest.
Rui waited, eyes fixed on her. "He what?"
Meilin swallowed hard. "He took something from me. My trust. My peace. He tried to ruin my life once, and I thought… if I left it behind, it would disappear."
Silence stretched between them, thick and heavy.
Rui stood slowly, walking toward her. "And now he's back."
She nodded, tears spilling over. "I didn't want you or Xiaoya to be dragged into this."
Rui's gaze softened for a moment — but then his jaw tightened again. "You should have trusted me, Meilin. We could have faced it together."
Her lips trembled. "I was afraid you'd leave me if you knew."
His silence cut deeper than words ever could.
He turned toward the window, his voice quiet. "I don't want our daughter growing up in lies. If we're going to survive this, we need to face the truth — all of it."
Meilin wanted to reach for him, to beg him not to walk away again. But before she could speak, there was a knock at the door.
Xiaoya peeked in, holding a small envelope. "Mommy, a man gave this to me at the gate."
Meilin's blood ran cold. She took the envelope, her hands shaking as she opened it. Inside was a single photograph — her, standing in the rain yesterday, talking to Li Chen. On the back, a few words written in his sharp handwriting:
"You can't hide from the past forever."
Rui saw it too. His jaw tightened as he turned away, fists clenching at his sides.
"I'll handle this," he said at last, voice low and firm.
"Rui, please—"
But he was already walking out the door.
Meilin stood there, the letter trembling in her hands, her heart breaking all over again. She wanted to scream, to cry, to run after him — but her legs wouldn't move.
The only sound left in the room was the ticking clock. Each
second felt like a countdown to something she couldn't stop.