The next morning, Alina woke up to chaos.
Her phone wouldn't stop buzzing. Messages, missed calls, and a barrage of notifications from social media and news outlets. She blinked groggily at the screen, her eyes adjusting as she read the words that made her blood run cold:
#CEOLeonardXuWifeRevealedWho is the woman by Leonard Xu's side?Alina Shen: Cinderella or Strategic Pawn?
Her finger trembled as she tapped on a headline.
*Last night's corporate gala was not just another night of champagne and business deals. The elusive CEO of Xu Corporation, Leonard Xu, was spotted with his "mystery wife," confirming weeks of speculation that the powerful bachelor had quietly married.
The woman, identified as Alina Shen, has no known business background, no connections to elite circles, and no significant family name—aside from her father's modest construction firm that nearly went bankrupt months ago. So who is she, and what does she mean to Leonard Xu?*
Alina dropped the phone.
The whispers, the photos, the icy smiles from last night—it all made sense now. They weren't just curious. They were waiting to rip her apart.
By the time she walked into the kitchen, Leonard was already seated, sipping coffee like it was just another ordinary day.
She stood at the entrance for a moment, watching him. How could he be so calm while the world shredded her image to pieces?
"You knew this would happen," she said coldly.
He didn't even look up. "It was inevitable."
Her fingers clenched into fists. "You could've warned me."
Leonard finally looked at her, eyes unreadable. "And what would you have done differently?"
"I don't know. Prepared. Worn armor. Not smiled like an idiot in every photo. Something."
He set his cup down slowly. "You looked perfect. That's why they're talking."
"That's not a compliment."
"No. It's a fact."
Alina glared at him. "They're calling me a pawn. A nobody."
"You are my wife. That's all that matters."
"To you, maybe," she snapped. "But to the rest of the world, I'm just the girl who bought her way into a billionaire's life."
Leonard stood, walking toward her with deliberate calm. "Let them talk. In this world, silence is weakness. But noise? It means they're paying attention."
"I didn't ask for attention."
"No, but you married me. And attention comes with the territory."
She hated how logical he sounded. She hated even more that some twisted part of her understood what he meant.
But that didn't make it easier to breathe.
The next few days blurred together.
The media frenzy didn't slow. Paparazzi camped near the penthouse. Fashion blogs dissected her wardrobe. Gossip forums speculated about her background, with some even digging up her mother's hospital records and her father's failed loans.
Leonard, of course, remained unbothered. He went to work every day in suits worth more than her entire college tuition and came home late, barely saying a word.
But Alina… she was drowning.
Until the doorbell rang one afternoon, and her past walked in.
"Alina?"
She froze.
Standing at the door was a woman in her thirties—tired eyes, modest clothes, and a warmth in her voice that struck straight through Alina's chest.
"Aunt Mei?" she whispered.
Aunt Mei smiled, teary-eyed. "I saw you on the news. I thought… maybe you wouldn't want to see me. But I had to try."
Alina didn't even think. She threw her arms around her aunt, hugging her tightly.
"You shouldn't have come. The press—"
"I used the service elevator," Aunt Mei said with a grin. "Your husband's security team is scary."
They both laughed—quiet, broken, but genuine.
They sat in the kitchen, tea steaming between them.
"You look tired, sweetheart," Aunt Mei said gently. "Are you eating enough? That dress last night looked so tight I was afraid you'd faint."
Alina chuckled. "I'm fine. Just… overwhelmed."
Aunt Mei's expression turned serious. "I know this isn't what you wanted."
"It's not what I dreamed, no," Alina admitted. "But it's what I agreed to."
Her aunt reached out and took her hand. "Does he treat you well?"
Alina hesitated.
"He's not cruel. Just… distant. Cold. Like he doesn't know how to be anything else."
Aunt Mei sighed. "Sometimes, men with too much power forget how to be human. Don't let that change you."
"I won't," Alina whispered, hoping it was true.
That night, Leonard came home early.
Surprised, Alina stepped out of her room and found him loosening his tie in the foyer.
"There's someone I'd like you to meet," he said.
She blinked. "What?"
He gestured toward the hallway, and a moment later, a man entered—mid-thirties, confident smile, expensive watch, and an aura that screamed lawyer.
"Daniel Han," he said, shaking Alina's hand. "I'm Leonard's personal legal advisor. And now, yours as well."
Alina stared. "Why would I need a lawyer?"
Leonard answered for him. "Because you're getting offers."
"What offers?"
Daniel pulled a folder from his briefcase. "Brand sponsorships. Magazine interviews. A reality show proposal, though I recommend you burn that one."
Alina gaped. "Are you serious?"
"Dead serious. You've become the most Googled woman in the city this week. People want access to you."
"And you think I should say yes?"
Leonard studied her. "I think you should choose. But don't act like you're still invisible."
Daniel added, "If I may—this kind of attention doesn't last. You can control the story now, or you can let the media control it for you."
Alina sank onto the couch, mind spinning.
It felt like a dream. A surreal, strange, slightly terrifying dream.
She looked up at Leonard. "Is this your way of saying I should play the role more seriously?"
He didn't blink. "It's a reminder that you're no longer living in the shadows. Whether you want to or not, you're a Xu now. That means power—and pressure."
Alina exhaled slowly.
"I'll think about it."
"Good," Leonard said, then turned to leave. But before he disappeared down the hallway, he paused.
"For what it's worth… you handled the chaos better than most would."
Alina looked at his back, something stirring in her chest.
"Coming from you, that almost sounds like praise."
He didn't answer. But she saw the ghost of a smile before he disappeared into his study.
Later that night, Alina sat by the window, staring at the lights of the city.
She thought of the headlines. Of the whispers. Of Celeste Zhou. Of Leonard's unreadable eyes and that single sentence that refused to leave her mind:
"You're no longer invisible."
For so long, she had lived in the background—quiet, unnoticed, compliant.
But maybe this was her moment to step into the light.
Not as someone's wife.
But as Alina Shen.