Night fell softly over the Jiang mansion, the hum of crickets echoing through the garden. Meilin sat on the balcony, her heart caught between warmth and fear. Inside, she could hear Rui reading a bedtime story to Yanyan — his deep, gentle voice filling the silence.
It was the same voice that once calmed her storms… and now it haunted her.
She closed her eyes, remembering what the officer had said: Jiang Rui reopened Li Chen's case.
Why? What reason would he have?
The rain had stopped hours ago, but the air still smelled of something heavy — like the world itself was holding its breath.
A knock sounded behind her. Rui stepped into the light, holding two mugs of tea. "You didn't come to bed," he said softly.
Meilin smiled faintly. "Just couldn't sleep."
He handed her a mug and sat beside her. For a while, neither spoke. Then Rui said, almost casually, "You went out earlier. Anywhere important?"
Her fingers tightened around the cup. "Just… visited an old friend."
He nodded slowly. "An old friend. At the police archives?"
Her heart stopped. She turned sharply, but his expression was unreadable. Calm. Controlled.
"How did you—?"
"I called the house," he interrupted, voice low. "They said a woman matching your description came asking about Li Chen."
Meilin forced a shaky breath. "You've been following me?"
Rui's gaze softened, but there was steel beneath it. "No. Protecting you."
"By watching my every move?" she whispered, anger flashing in her eyes.
"By making sure you don't walk back into the fire that already burned you once."
His words stung. She wanted to scream, to demand answers — but his tone, so full of restrained emotion, silenced her.
"Why did you reopen the case?" she finally asked.
Rui looked at her then, and for the first time, his mask slipped. There was pain in his eyes — and guilt. "Because I needed to know who really set that fire."
Her breath hitched. "You mean… it wasn't him?"
"I don't know," he said quietly. "But someone wanted you to think it was. Someone wanted you to hate him… and me."
Her chest tightened. "Then who?"
He reached out, his hand brushing hers. "That's what I'm trying to find out. But Meilin—" His eyes locked onto hers. "You have to trust me. Please."
The sincerity in his voice nearly broke her. She wanted to believe him. To believe the man who had held her through her nightmares and kissed her tears away. But the shadow of doubt had already taken root in her heart.
When he finally left the balcony, Meilin sat in silence, the stars flickering like ghosts above her.
Her phone buzzed. Another message.
> "Trust is a dangerous game, Meilin. Especially when the one you love is still lying."
She froze, her eyes darting toward the hallway — where Rui's footsteps had just disappeared.
Slowly, she typed back:
> "What are you trying to tell me?"
A moment later, the reply came:
> "Ask him about the night of the fire. He wasn't saving you… he was saving himself."
Her hand trembled. She stared into the darkness, her heartbeat echoing in her ears.
The night felt colder now.
The air heavier.
And for the first time since she'd come back to life, Meilin realized — h
er second chance at love might also be the beginning of her second betrayal.