The next morning began far too early.
Leong woke before his alarm, mind already sharp, as if his instincts had dragged him out of sleep before trouble could arrive. In his previous life, mornings like this meant disaster—another betrayal waiting, another financial trap disguised as opportunity.
But this time was different.
He was reborn.
He was aware.
And trouble would not surprise him again.
Still, something felt… off.
He sat up slowly, rubbing his temples as the first hint of sunlight slipped through the curtains.
"Today's the day," he murmured.
He didn't know why, but the sense of change was heavy—like the air right before a storm.
He got dressed, grabbed his documents, and left the apartment with a quiet determination.
At the Office — A Trap Begins to Unfold
When Leong walked into the office lobby, he immediately sensed eyes on him.
Some employees whispered.
Some stared openly.
Some simply looked at him with curiosity—as if they had been waiting.
Leong kept walking.
If he learned anything in his past life, it was that attention didn't matter.
Only motives did.
Before he reached the elevator, Darren nearly sprinted toward him.
"Bro—bro—BIG problem."
Leong raised an eyebrow. "What kind?"
"Mei Lin kind."
Leong sighed. "Of course."
"No, listen," Darren said, lowering his voice. "She went to HR this morning."
Leong's eyes narrowed. "…For what?"
Darren swallowed hard.
"She said you've been… emotionally unstable since the breakup. That you snapped at her yesterday. And she implied you might be a danger."
Leong laughed softly under his breath—not out of humor, but disbelief.
He knew Mei Lin was desperate, but falsely reporting him?
"She's trying to ruin your job, bro," Darren whispered. "HR is asking around already."
Leong stayed silent for a moment.
He felt no fear—only a cold clarity.
She wants to attack my reputation.
She wants to make me look unstable.
She wants to corner me before Kevin's plan fails.
It was predictable.
Pathetic, even.
"Thanks," Leong said calmly. "I'll handle it."
Darren shook his head in admiration. "I don't know how you stay so calm."
Practice, Leong thought.
Dying once teaches you a lot.
Before HR Could Act — A Savior Appears
Leong headed toward his department, already planning his counter. He wasn't just going to defend himself—he would use this to expose Mei Lin's manipulation publicly.
But first, he needed to speak with—
"Leong!"
He turned.
Fatma hurried toward him holding a small stack of documents. She was slightly out of breath, her hair a little messy from rushing.
"You weren't answering your phone," she said, worried. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Leong assured her. "What's wrong?"
She lowered her voice.
"HR called me."
Leong blinked. "Already?"
"Yes. They asked if you have… issues controlling your emotions."
Leong clenched his jaw.
"And what did you say?"
Fatma looked him straight in the eyes.
"I told them the truth—that you're calm, composed, and never once raised your voice at anyone."
She paused. "And that Mei Lin is lying."
A warmth spread in his chest—unexpected but powerful.
"Thank you," he said quietly.
"You don't deserve to be treated like that," she replied. "And I won't let them rewrite the narrative."
Leong couldn't help but smile a little.
Fatma wasn't loud, dramatic, or aggressive.
But her loyalty was silent steel.
She continued, "HR wants to 'observe your behavior' today."
He snorted. "Great."
"I'll stay with you," she said. "If anyone tries to twist things, I'll witness it."
Leong stared at her for a moment.
"…You really don't have to stand in the line of fire for me."
"But I want to," she said softly.
And again—that warmth.
Kevin's First Chess Move Fails
By noon, HR had interviewed several people.
What Kevin expected:
Employees saying Leong seemed unstable after the breakup
Coworkers confirming Mei Lin's claims
HR forcing Leong into a performance review
What actually happened:
Every coworker described Leong as "calm" and "professional"
Multiple people said Mei Lin had caused more drama than Leong
Darren openly stated, "She's the one blocking him in the lobby, not the other way around."
Fatma's testimony sealed the deal.
By lunch, HR's tone completely changed.
"Mr. Leong," the HR head said politely, "we have no evidence of misconduct. Please ignore the complaint."
Leong nodded. "Thank you."
The HR manager hesitated.
"…However, Ms. Mei Lin is beginning to appear disruptive. If this continues, we will take action."
That was better than he could have planned.
As Leong left the HR room, Kevin stood near the hallway pretending to scroll his phone.
Their eyes met.
Kevin's smile was thin.
"You seem pretty confident."
"I am," Leong replied. "After all, truth doesn't need a PR team."
Kevin stepped closer. "You made me look like a liar."
"You don't need my help for that."
Kevin's jaw twitched.
"Careful, Leong. You're picking fights you can't win."
Leong leaned in slightly.
"Funny. Last time we played this game, you said the same thing—right before your scam blew up."
Kevin froze.
He wasn't supposed to know that.
Not this early.
Not in this timeline.
Leong walked away without looking back.
Kevin remained rooted to the spot…
For the first time, genuinely afraid.
Later — An Unexpected Invitation
By the end of the workday, the tension around the office had eased. People whispered less. Rumors slowed. And Mei Lin had mysteriously disappeared—no doubt licking her wounds.
Leong gathered his things and prepared to leave.
Just as he reached the elevator, Fatma appeared again.
"Going home?" she asked.
"Yes," he said. "Finally."
Fatma shifted nervously before speaking again.
"Do you… have time? Maybe for dinner?"
Leong paused.
She quickly waved her hands. "Ah—sorry, I didn't mean—if you're busy, it's okay! I just thought you might not want to eat alone after such a stressful day—"
"Fatma," he interrupted gently. "I'd like that."
She blinked. "…Really?"
"Yes."
Her smile lit up the entire hallway.
"Okay," she said softly. "There's a small place nearby. Nothing fancy."
"Perfect," Leong replied.
Dinner — A Different Kind of Battle
The restaurant was warm, quiet, and softly lit. They sat across from each other, the air filled with the scent of spiced rice and grilled meat.
Fatma waited until the waiter left before speaking.
"You handled everything really well today."
Leong chuckled. "You're giving me too much credit."
"No," she insisted. "You're strong. Most people fall apart when someone tries to ruin them like that."
Leong looked down at his glass.
"I fell apart once," he admitted. "In another time. Over the same people."
Fatma watched him gently. "What changed?"
"I did," he said. "Life… gave me a second chance. I don't want to waste it."
She smiled softly. "I'm glad."
Leong met her eyes.
"You don't know how much you helped today."
Her ears turned slightly pink.
"I just told the truth."
"Most people don't," he replied quietly.
For a moment, the world felt still.
Then Fatma laughed lightly.
"You know… when I first met you, I never imagined we'd be sitting like this."
"Neither did I."
"But I like it," she added softly.
Leong felt his chest tighten—not painfully, but in a warm, unfamiliar way.
"I do too," he answered.
Night — The Enemy Strikes Back (But Too Late)
After dinner, Leong walked Fatma to the train station.
"Text me when you get home," he said.
She nodded. "Okay. And you… try not to think too much tonight."
He smiled. "I'll try."
She waved as the train doors closed.
Leong stood there for a moment before turning to walk home.
Just as he stepped outside the station, his phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
He answered.
A shaky male voice whispered:
"Leong… they're planning something… you need to be careful…"
Leong's heart froze for a moment.
"Who is this?"
"It's Mr. Wong… The man you warned before."
Leong straightened.
His instincts sharpened immediately.
"What happened?"
"The same people who hurt you in the past… They're scared of you now. They want to shut you up before you expose them."
Leong's eyes darkened, a quiet fire burning in them.
"So they're panicking," he said.
"Yes," Mr. Wong whispered. "They're meeting tonight. Talking about how to 'control' you."
Leong smiled coldly.
"Then let them talk."
Because this time—
he wasn't the one walking blind into danger.
They were.
And he was ready.