Chapter 1: Ruyi 🌸

I slowly opened my eyes, groggily taking in my surroundings. The flickering candlelight cast long, dancing shadows across the room, illuminating the dust motes swirling in the air. I coughed, the acrid smell of smoke stinging my nostrils. My head throbbed, a dull ache pounding behind my eyes.

Where was I? The last thing I remembered was... The crimson blade. A wave of nausea washed over me, the memory flooding back in a suffocating torrent. The icy blade slicing through the air, the horrified gasp of my best friend, the blood staining the pristine white carpet, my own blood pooling around me, the cold, suffocating darkness that followed.

Panic clawed at my throat as I tried to sit up, but a searing pain shot through my body, forcing me back down. I was trapped in a sea of confusion, with fragmented memories and a sense of desperation.

My name... Ruyi. Lu Ruyi. The memories came flooding back, like shattered glass piercing through the fog. My husband. My best friend. They had betrayed me. They had taken everything from me.

He Ming, her husband, the man she had foolishly trusted with her heart, the man who had orchestrated her downfall. Mo Jian, her dearest friend, the one who had pretended to be her confidante, the one who had stood by her side, all the while plotting her demise.

Tears streamed down her face, hot and angry. Rage, a burning, consuming fire, raged within her. She would not let them win. She would not let them get away with it. She would find them. She would make them pay. This time, she would not be defeated. This time, justice would be served.

Ruyi clenched her fists, her knuckles white. She would remember every detail, every betrayal, every cruel act. She would use this second chance to unravel the truth, to expose their treachery, to bring them to their knees. This was not just about revenge. It was about justice. It was about reclaiming the life that had been stolen from her. It was about making sure that He Ming and Mo Jian would never hurt anyone ever again.

Ruyi clenched her fists, her knuckles white. She would not let them win. She would not let them get away with it. She would find them. She would make them pay.

This time, she would not be defeated. This time, justice would be served.

But revenge was not enough. She would protect her family, her beloved family, from the clutches of He Ming and Mo Jian. Her father, Lingfeng, with his kind eyes and gentle smile. Her mother, Weiwei, whose love was a constant source of warmth and comfort. And her brother, Xuan, his laughter echoing through the halls of their home.

She would protect them all.

The Lu family business, a legacy built on generations of hard work and integrity, had been the target of He Ming's ambition. Ruyi, in her past life, had been too naive, too trusting, to see the danger. This time, she would be vigilant. She would learn the intricacies of the family business, she would study the market, she would outmaneuver her enemies.

She would inherit the family business, not as a symbol of wealth and privilege, but as a weapon against those who had sought to destroy her and her family.

This time, she would not let them succeed.

Chapter 2: Ruyi ~~~~

My eyes snapped open, a gasp escaping my lips. The silken sheets, the familiar scent of cherry blossoms – my room. But it was impossible. I remembered… darkness. Cold. The cold steel of the blade, a phantom sensation against my skin.

I sat up, my heart pounding, and looked around. Yes, this was my room. But how?

Then, the calendar caught my gaze. One week. One week until my wedding day. To He Ming.

It hit me like a physical blow. I was back. Back in time.

A wave of confusion and anger washed over me. I wanted to scream, to warn myself, to stop the wedding. But then I realized, if I acted too differently, too quickly, He Ming and Mo Jian would suspect something. They would know I was not the trusting Ruyi they knew.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm the chaos inside me. I had to be careful. I had to play the part. The naive bride, just days away from her wedding. Smile, nod, observe. I would find a way to make them pay. I would expose their betrayal.

A thought struck me, sharp and clear. Their frequent "business meetings." The Golden Lotus Hotel. A place of gilded luxury, and now, I knew, a place of hidden treachery. They thought I was blind, oblivious. They thought they were clever.

I wouldn't give them the satisfaction.

I dressed quickly, a simple gown that wouldn't draw attention. I couldn't risk being seen. I needed to be a ghost, a shadow.

The Golden Lotus had a luxurious and busy lobby. I moved through the crowd, my face a mask of casual curiosity, my eyes scanning for He Ming and Mo Jian. I spotted them by the elevators, their heads close together, a conspiratorial air about them.

They pressed the button for the penthouse. The same suite, always the same suite.

I waited a moment, then followed, taking the next elevator.

The hallway was quiet, the thick carpets muffling any sound. I crept towards their suite, my heart pounding in my ears. A soft murmur drifted from behind the door.

I pressed my ear against the cool wood. Mo Jian’s voice, a soft moan. Then He Ming’s, a low, husky sound. The sounds of their betrayal, raw and unmistakable.

My stomach churned, a wave of nausea threatened to overwhelm me, but I forced it down. My phone, hidden in my clutch, was my only weapon. I slipped it out, the camera app already open.

The door wasn’t fully closed, just a sliver. I peered through the crack. What I saw made my breath catch in my throat. He Ming and Mo Jian, their bodies entwined, their faces flushed.

I snapped the pictures, the sound of the shutter a soft click, barely audible. Proof. Real proof.

I backed away, my movements swift and silent. I wouldn't confront them now. I wouldn't give them the satisfaction of seeing my pain. I would wait. I would choose my moment.

I pressed the elevator button, eager to escape the suffocating atmosphere of betrayal. The doors slid closed, and I leaned against the cool metal, trying to calm the storm raging inside me.

Suddenly, the elevator stopped. Then, it started moving. Down. Not to the lobby, but further down. To the private floor. The one that required a password.

The doors opened with a soft whoosh, revealing a dimly lit, luxurious space. The air on this floor was thick with the scent of expensive cigars and aged leather, a stark contrast to the flowery sweetness of the lobby. And there he stood.

My breath caught in my throat. He was tall, with raven-black hair that framed a face of sharp, almost ethereal features. His lips were a delicate pink, and his eyes... his eyes were mesmerizing, a deep, fathomless black. It was Shen Jun.

He stood with a quiet grace, an air of power radiating from him. But his expression was not welcoming. It was serious, almost austere, a hint of ruthlessness lurking in the depths of his dark eyes. He turned his gaze towards me, a flicker of surprise quickly replaced by a demon-like intensity.

"You seem to have taken a wrong turn," he said, his voice a low, smooth melody, yet the words held a sharp edge. There was no warmth, only a serious and almost intimidating curiosity.

"Elevator malfunction, I suppose," I replied, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside. "Though I'm curious, how would I know your floor's password?" I raised an eyebrow, challenging his explanation. "This isn't a 'wrong turn' anyone could accidentally make." His dark eyes narrowed slightly, a subtle shift that spoke volumes, and a dangerous glint appeared.

My mind raced. How did he know? Was this a trap? Or was this… something else? His presence was overwhelming, a mix of beauty and danger, leaving me uncertain of his intentions.

Chapter 3: Shen J~~~~un 

"Perhaps," I continued, my voice low and smooth, "you would care to explain your presence here, Ms...?" I paused, leaving the question hanging.

"Lu Ruyi," she replied, her voice steady, though a flicker of apprehension danced in her eyes.

Lu Ruyi. The name resonated faintly, a whisper of recognition. My surprise, subtle as it was, must have registered, for her gaze sharpened, as if gauging my reaction.

My eyes swept over her. A simple, unassuming gown, hardly the attire of a corporate spy or a high-society socialite. Yet, the tension radiating from her was palpable, a tightly coiled spring ready to release. There was no fear, only a guarded defiance, an intriguing contradiction.

My phone vibrated. A call from security. "Sir, a temporary glitch in the elevator system. Override bypassed, rectified."

A malfunction. The timing, however, was too convenient to dismiss entirely.

"Very well," I said, dismissing the call. "Ensure it doesn't happen again."

Turning back to Lu Ruyi, I saw a subtle release of tension in her posture. She'd clearly heard the call, understood the implication.

"It appears," I said, my voice laced with a hint of amusement, "that your 'elevator malfunction' was indeed a malfunction. My apologies for the inconvenience."

She nodded, her expression unreadable. "Thank you."

As she turned to leave, I found myself offering, "I'm heading to the lobby. Would you care for a ride?"

"No, thank you," she replied, her voice polite but firm.

"Very well. Then, allow me to escort you to the lobby, and I'll arrange a taxi." A subtle insistence, a way to observe her further.

We walked in silence, the air thick with unspoken questions. Approaching the lobby, she stiffened, her gaze fixed on a point in the crowd.

Following her line of sight, I saw He Ming and Mo Jian. Their heads were close, their body language intimate. Business acquaintances, nothing more.

Lu Ruyi's reaction was immediate. "Could we… could we take that ride after all?" Her eyes pleaded, a rare display of vulnerability.

Before I could respond, she gripped my arm, guiding me towards the exit. Her urgency was undeniable, her desire to avoid those two palpable.

Intrigued, I allowed her to lead. What was the connection between Lu Ruyi and He Ming and Mo Jian? And why did she seem so desperate to avoid them?

In the limousine, silence reigned. She sat rigidly, her gaze fixed out the window, her profile etched with a sadness and a barely suppressed fury. Not a single word, not a glance. It was as if I were a mere vessel, a means to an end.

I, in turn, respected her silence. There was no need to force conversation. Her demeanor spoke volumes; she was consumed by something deeply personal.

At the Lu residence, a grand estate that spoke of wealth and lineage, she exited without a word of farewell, disappearing behind the imposing gates.

Leaning back, I replayed the events of the past hour. Her presence on my private floor, her reaction to He Ming and Mo Jian, her silent, troubled demeanor – it all added up to a complex and intriguing mystery.

"To the Shens Group headquarters," I instructed the driver, my voice cutting through the silence of the vehicle.

As we glided through the city streets, I reached for my phone. "Lin Mei," I said, addressing my secretary, "I need you to investigate Lu Ruyi. Find out why she was at the Golden Lotus Hotel. I want every detail, no matter how insignificant it may seem."

The silence on the other end was brief. "Understood, Mr. Shen."

I ended the call, gazing at the cityscape blurring past the window. Lu Ruyi's presence in my life was unexpected, an anomaly in the carefully ordered structure of my world. And anomalies, I had learned, often held the key to uncovering hidden truths. I would find out what she was hiding, and I would understand why she looked so troubled.