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Chapter 2: Echoes in the Rain
Everywhere in the room was pitch black.
Emily must've turned off the lights again. She's always been a fan of the darkness. Something about its quiet stillness brought her comfort.
The scent of wet earth lingered in the air—petrichor. Rain was near.
I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and padded toward the balcony. The early morning air kissed my skin, cool and damp with anticipation. The moon hung in the sky like a fragile crescent—soft, silver, and ethereal. It looked lonely, almost as if it were watching over me.
I glanced at my phone. 5:02 AM. No surprise—I'd been waking up at this hour since forever. Sometimes I wondered if it was habit… or something deeper.
Something was pulling me. A whisper in the wind. A memory I hadn't yet fully remembered.
I stepped out of Emily's apartment and let the city's quiet envelope me. Jianchung had always had a way of speaking without sound. I closed my eyes and inhaled. Maybe… just maybe… it was time to let the city guide me. To trust it to lead me to the amulet Lei once gave me.
Suddenly, the wind shifted—its calm turning urgent. A drop landed on my cheek, then another.
"It's about to rain," I murmured.
I'd already walked a few meters from Emily's block when the clouds broke open. The rain poured down in thick, heavy sheets. But I didn't run for cover. I stood there, letting it drench me, seep into my skin. It wasn't just rain. It was a calling. A reminder.
The last time I felt this… was when Lei gave me his heirloom.
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FLASHBACK
"Lei, why are we out here in the middle of nowhere?" I asked, tugging my coat tighter. The stars shimmered above us, and the scent of flowers mixed with the cool night air.
"Nothing serious," he replied, a soft smile curling his lips. "I just wanted to give you something. It's my family heirloom."
He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small velvet pouch. From it, he revealed a delicate amulet—old, yet radiant. It was engraved with Chinese characters that glowed faintly in the moonlight.
"It's beautiful," I whispered.
He chuckled. "Do you know what wǒ de xīn means?"
I shook my head.
"It means 'my heart,'" he said, eyes locked on mine. "Zhao Min… you are my heart. Am I yours?"
My breath caught.
I was in love with someone else. Someone I thought was my destiny. And here Lei was, baring his soul to me. My silence spoke louder than any words.
"I… I'm sorry," I said, eyes brimming. "I can't."
The sky darkened. Thunder cracked, and in seconds, the heavens opened. Rain crashed down on us like a curse.
I took off the amulet and placed it gently back in his palm.
"Lei, you deserve someone who can give you everything. Not someone whose heart is tangled elsewhere."
His hands trembled. "You're breaking me, Min."
"I know," I said, tears mixing with rain. "But it would hurt more to lie."
That night, everything changed. Lei never looked at me the same again.
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END FLASHBACK
Now, standing alone under the same rain, I realized something. This spot—this exact place—was where he'd given me the amulet. Fate had brought me full circle.
The memories, the feelings… they crashed over me like waves, and before I could steady myself, darkness swallowed me whole.
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"Master, she's awake," a voice said from somewhere far away.
My eyes fluttered open. I was no longer in the rain.
The ceiling above me shimmered with gold accents. A crystal chandelier sparkled softly. The room smelled faintly of sandalwood and roses. Everything screamed wealth, refinement, and power.
Where… am I?
I sat up slowly. "Where am I?" I croaked.
"You're in my mansion," a deep, velvety voice replied.
I turned toward the sound and met the gaze of a man dressed in all black. His aura was commanding. Every inch of him exuded elegance, control, and mystery. And then—I saw his face.
My breath hitched. "Lei…?"
His brows furrowed. "Who's Lei?"
My heart dropped. I had to remind myself—this wasn't the past. This was the present. And in this life, he wasn't Zhang Lei.
"Sorry," I said quickly. "I mistook you for someone else."
"I'm James Chen," he said. "I found you passed out in the middle of the road while driving back from my aunt's place. You were drenched. What the hell were you doing out there in that storm?"
Still the same. Always demanding answers.
"I was… reminiscing. Is that a crime?" I said, meeting his stare.
"Doing it in the middle of the road during a downpour? Yes. You could've died," he snapped. "Anyway, just give me your address so I can drop you off and get to work. That's all I can offer. Don't expect anything more."
So cold. So distant.
"Wow. You're quite feisty in this life," I muttered under my breath.
"I know," he replied flatly.
I didn't want to waste more of his time. I gave him Emily's address and followed him out.
The hallway stretched into a private garage filled with sleek cars—black, red, silver—all shining under the bright fluorescent lights. My jaw dropped.
James noticed and rolled his eyes. "Stop gawking. Get in."
He slid into the driver's seat of a silver BMW. I took the passenger side, trying to act unfazed.
First time in a Porsche… I thought, even though it was a BMW. Still, it felt like a dream.
The ride back was silent. Not the comfortable kind, but heavy—like words were hanging in the air, waiting to be spoken. I leaned against the window, letting the hum of the engine lull my mind.
Just as I began drifting into thoughts of reclaiming my identity as the Li heiress, a familiar tune began to play on the radio.
My favorite song.
I turned to look at him, startled. His expression didn't change, but I could see his fingers subtly tapping the rhythm on the steering wheel.
Of course. Lei always loved this song too.
My heart ached at the coincidence.
"We've arrived," he said suddenly, his voice cold again. "Alight the vehicle."
No goodbye. No emotion.
Just like that, he vanished again from my life—only this time, I knew better than to let fate decide everything.
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