Haicheng's elite are like roaches—they thrive on gossip and whatever's rotting underneath it. The Philanthropy Gala's their playground, all champagne and fake smiles, everyone pretending they're here to save the world while they're really just counting enemies.
My car pulls up to the Mirage Hotel, red carpet glowing under the flashbulbs. I catch my reflection in the tinted window—same face, same eyes, but I'm not the same woman. I learned the hard way: beauty's just a pretty knife if you don't know how to wield it.
"Miss Xu," my assistant says from the front seat, voice tight. "Your slot's in three minutes. The cameras—"
"I know," I cut her off, half-smirking. "Let them look. They need to remember what they threw away."
Outside, the air's thick with perfume and ego. Reporters swarm the carpet, whispering about designers and old scandals. When I step out, the chatter stops dead.
I'm in black silk, a dress that hugs me like a shadow, catching the light just enough to make it dangerous. No jewelry except my mom's pearl ring on my right hand. They don't know it, but it's my middle finger to all of them.
"Xu Lanying?" someone mutters. "Wasn't her family ruined last year?"
"Didn't she vanish after that engagement mess?"
"She looks… different."
Damn right I do.
I flash a smile as I walk into the ballroom, feeling like a ghost who's come to crash her own funeral.
The chandelier's dripping light like it's trying too hard. Everywhere I look, I see faces from my old life—my dad's old cronies, my stepmom's lackeys, my sister's fan club. And then, across the room, I see him. Lu Shen.
He's by the balcony doors, tux sharp enough to cut glass, surrounded by suits who look like they're begging for his approval. He's all cold control, like he's above the chaos. My pulse kicks up, and I hate it. I'm not supposed to feel anything, but there it is, like a splinter under my skin.
"Miss Xu." Old Mr. Lin, one of my dad's slimy partners, sidles up with a smile that screams condescension. "Didn't think you'd show. Still chasing pretty paintings instead of real money?"
"Someone's gotta class this place up," I say, all sugar, sharp enough to sting.
He laughs, oblivious to the jab. I glance across the room and catch Lu Shen's eyes. He's watching, and for a second, I see it—recognition, like he's actually seeing me. I tilt my head, playing it cool, like he's just another face in the crowd.
It works. He notices.
A few minutes later, his assistant's at my side, all business. "Mr. Lu wants a word."
I follow him to the balcony, where the city sprawls out below, all lights and wet glass. Lu Shen's leaning against the railing, not looking at me yet.
"When a phoenix rises," he says, low, "she makes a hell of an entrance."
I smirk, stepping closer. "And when a wolf smells blood, he starts circling."
He turns, and for the first time since I came back, I see something new in his eyes. Not lust, not pity—curiosity, like I'm a puzzle he didn't expect.
"You're not the same," he says.
"You're sharp," I shoot back.
Thunder grumbles in the distance, like the sky's in on our game. He steps closer, voice dropping. "Careful, Miss Xu. Haicheng doesn't like ghosts who refuse to stay dead."
"Then they'd better get used to me."
He studies me, like he's deciding if I'm worth the risk or just a fun distraction. Then he says, "There's a job at Lu Holdings. Director of Creative Development. Short-term."
I raise an eyebrow. A job? That's a leash with a fancy title. "You want me where you can watch me."
"Under my protection," he says, smooth as hell. "Your family's got debts they haven't paid."
I smile, sharp. "Then I'll collect what they owe me."
I take the offer, not because I trust him—God, no—but because power's not something you grab from the sidelines. You've gotta get close enough to feel the heat.
Back in the ballroom, my assistant's practically vibrating. "Miss Xu, was that—did he just—"
"Yup," I say, eyes lingering on the balcony doors. "Game's on."
In my first life, I loved him. Fell hard, got burned. This time? I'm learning how to break him, piece by piece, from the inside out.