Alina stared at the necklace lying on her nightstand.
She hadn't touched it since the deliveryman brought it. The sapphire caught the light from the window, shimmering in its delicate chain, as if taunting her with memories. The note had long been folded and tucked into the drawer—but the words echoed in her head louder than ever.
You deserved better.
Leonard's way of saying goodbye without saying the words.
And she hated that it still made her heart ache.
With a deep breath, she stood and walked to the mirror. Her reflection was pale but resolute. She had cried enough. Waited enough. Loved enough.
It was time to change the narrative.
If Leonard wanted a wife in name only, so be it.
She would become everything the world expected her to be—and more.
But not for him.
For herself.
Later that afternoon, Alina sat across from Grace in the garden patio of a luxury café downtown. Sunlight filtered through the latticed roof, casting warm patterns on their table. Despite the gentle ambiance, tension hung between them.
"You want to do what?" Grace nearly dropped her spoon into her lavender latte.
Alina sipped her iced tea calmly. "Start working again. Something with real purpose."
Grace blinked. "You already run a charity foundation."
"I mean really working. Business. Strategy. Deals." Her eyes burned with quiet fire. "I didn't get a degree in international commerce to organize fundraisers and luncheons. I want back in."
Grace hesitated. "Does Leonard know?"
Alina laughed bitterly. "Leonard doesn't know where I sleep, let alone what I want."
Grace's mouth twisted, but she said nothing for a moment. Then: "You're serious?"
"Deadly."
"Well…" Grace leaned back and stirred her coffee. "I might know someone who's looking for a temporary strategic consultant. It's an investment firm—mid-sized, ambitious, just closed a merger. They could use a sharp brain like yours."
Alina raised a brow. "What's the catch?"
Grace smirked. "Only that the founder is a notorious flirt. But hey, you're technically married, so you've got immunity."
Alina gave a tight smile. "Just give me the contact."
As Grace dug through her phone, Alina looked out toward the street. People passed—smiling, moving forward with their lives. And for the first time in weeks, she felt like she was rejoining them.
That evening, her phone buzzed with a new message.
Unknown Number: Ms. Shen, heard you're looking to make a comeback. Let's talk. — J. Liang
Attached was an address and time.
Tomorrow. 10 a.m.
Her second chance had arrived.
Meanwhile, Leonard returned from Tokyo.
Tired. Wired. Hollow.
He didn't go to the penthouse. He drove straight to the company and buried himself in meetings, proposals, and silent brooding.
But no matter how many files he reviewed or calls he took, his mind kept returning to her.
Alina's silence had become louder than her presence.
Had she worn the necklace?
Had she even read the note?
He opened his phone for the hundredth time, scrolling to her name. Hovered. Closed it again.
"Coward," he muttered to himself.
Just then, his intercom buzzed.
"Mr. Xu, Ms. Celeste Zheng is here to see you."
Leonard's eyes darkened. "Send her in."
Celeste walked in like she owned the place, all red lips and confidence. But the moment she saw his expression, her steps faltered slightly.
"You look terrible," she said with forced lightness. "Jet lag?"
"What do you want, Celeste?" Leonard asked, voice clipped.
She placed her purse delicately on the edge of his desk. "I came to apologize. For the media leak. It wasn't supposed to go that far."
Leonard leaned back, arms crossed. "You expect me to believe that?"
Celeste's smile faltered. "I just wanted to shake her up. I didn't know Daniel would be dragged into it."
Leonard's eyes narrowed. "Leave Alina out of your games. This is your last warning."
Celeste stepped closer. "You still care about her, don't you?"
His silence was enough.
She scoffed, bitterness creeping into her voice. "You act like she's a saint. But let me remind you—Alina Shen doesn't love you. She's using your name, your money, your company to rebrand herself."
Leonard stood. "Get out, Celeste."
Celeste's eyes widened. "You're choosing her over me?"
"I'm choosing respect," he said coldly. "Something you've clearly forgotten."
She opened her mouth to argue—but saw the finality in his eyes. She picked up her purse and stormed out.
Leonard sank back into his chair.
The room felt heavier now.
And his regret felt closer than ever.
The next morning, Alina arrived at a minimalist office on the 28th floor of a high-rise in central Shanghai.
Jasper Liang greeted her at the door.
Tall, sharp-suited, with an easy grin that didn't quite reach his calculating eyes.
"I've heard about you, Mrs. Xu," he said, offering a firm handshake.
"Just Alina," she replied.
He led her inside, past a series of glass-partitioned offices. "You come with quite the reputation. Quiet socialite, fashion icon… and yet your academic record and thesis on post-merger integration is one of the most referenced papers in our sector."
Alina blinked. "You did your homework."
"I always do," Jasper said. "Which is why I want you here. One-month contract. Advisory role. No PR, no branding fluff—just numbers, analysis, and strategy. Think you're up for it?"
Alina nodded, adrenaline humming in her blood. "Try me."
By the second day, she was knee-deep in spreadsheets, market forecasts, and risk analyses. The work came back to her like a long-lost melody. She stayed late. Took meetings. Ignored her phone.
It felt good to matter again.
Jasper watched her with growing interest—sometimes more than professional—but Alina kept things strictly business. If he flirted, she didn't engage. If he lingered, she stepped away.
She was here to rebuild herself. Not to fall again.
And yet, the city had eyes.
Someone always watching.
Three days later, a tabloid article made the rounds:
"Leonard Xu's Wife Spotted Working—And Getting Cozy—with CEO Jasper Liang!"
The photo was innocent. A moment caught in time—Alina laughing during a lunch break, Jasper pouring her tea.
But the headlines didn't care about context.
At Xu Corporation, Leonard stared at the screen, jaw tight.
He stared for so long, his assistant hesitated before knocking.
"Sir, the investors' call starts in five minutes."
"Cancel it," Leonard said, eyes still on the screen.
The assistant froze. "Cancel?"
Leonard stood, grabbing his jacket. "I have somewhere to be."
That night, as Alina exited the Liang Capital building, her heels clicked against the stone pavement. Her bag was slung casually over her shoulder, and for once, her smile wasn't forced.
Until she saw the man leaning against a black car across the street.
Leonard.
Dressed in black, eyes unreadable.
She froze.
He walked toward her slowly, hands in his coat pockets.
"What do you want?" she asked flatly.
"You."
The word stunned her.
Leonard stopped just inches away. "I want you to come home."
She blinked. "Now you notice I'm gone?"
"I noticed the moment you disappeared from my life—even when you were still in my house."
Alina's heart raced, but she didn't let it show. "And why should I come back?"
"Because I made a mistake," he said, voice low. "I thought I was protecting you by keeping my distance. But all I did was push you away."
She looked away. "You hurt me, Leonard. And you let others hurt me, too."
"I know."
Silence.
Then he took out a small envelope. Handed it to her.
Inside was a photo—her, at eighteen, accepting her university award. One she hadn't seen in years.
"I've had it all this time," he said. "I always knew you were brilliant. I just… didn't know how to say it."
She stared at the photo, throat tight.
"I don't want to control you, Alina," Leonard said. "I want to know you. I want to start over."
She looked up, eyes wide. "Start over?"
He nodded. "As equals. No masks. No distance."
Alina searched his face. The mask he always wore… was gone.
And for the first time, she saw the man beneath.